Always Remember I Love You
by Ultrawoman
Summary: *COMPLETE* Starts with an AU ending to The Gift. When the portal is opened only Summers blood can close it, but there’s a man who can’t bear to lose either of the important women in his life... [Warning : Character Death]
1. Sacrifice For Love

A/N : For those reading 'The Guy Next Door', don't worry I'm still going to write that story but I wanted to do this one too.

Title : Always Remember - I Love You

Author : Ultrawoman

Rating : PG-13

Summary : Starts with an AU ending to the Gift. When the portal is opened only Summers blood can close it, but there's a man who can't bear to lose either of the important woman in his life...

Disclaimer : I do not own anything to do with Buffy The Vampire Slayer - it all belongs to Joss Whedon. Some very talented people wrote some of the action and dialogue in here so credit to the writers of 'The Gift'.

Chapter 1 - Sacrifice For Love

Dawn looked down from her place, high on the tower, and watched, panic-stricken, as her sister fought against Glory. Buffy hefted the hammer over her head again, bringing it down squarely on the head of the hell-goddess.

Suddenly Dawns attention was taken from the fight by a presence in front of her. She gasped as she realised it was Doc.

"You can help me" the young girl choked out "Untie me, please. Help me, she's coming" she referred of course to Glory. It was unclear how long Buffy would be able to hold her off.  
"Well, it seems she's running a bit late, is the thing" Doc smiled evilly as he walks towards Dawn. She suddenly realised he was not on her side, "And if our Goddess can't be here in time to bleed you..." he leered.

Dawn's face contorted in panic as Doc stood right in front of her.

"Hey kid. Wanna see a trick?" he asked rhetorically, pulling out a large shining knife and showing it to her. He held it right up in her face and the girl winced, knowing what was coming.

Down below, amongst the debris, Xander rejoined the rest of the Scoobies crouched down in shelter. They all glanced up at the tower in fear.

"How are we doing?" the young man asked, panting for breath.  
"So far it's a tie" his girlfriend told him.  
"We haven't got up to Dawn, but then neither has anyone else" Giles elaborated, still staring up at the girl.  
"Someone's up there" said Spike suddenly, extra panic in his usually calm tone.

"Okay, so we gotta charge or something" Xander suggested, fearing for his life as everyone else did but knowing they had to save Dawn and the world.

'Spike. Can you hear me?'

A voice rang through Spike's mind, a voice no-one else could hear.  
"Yeah, loud and clear" he answered, knowing who's voice he was recieving into his mind.

Willow crouched at the other side of the warehouse, with a now fully-functional Tara behind her. Her lips didn't move as she communicated with her vampire friend on the other side of the building. 

'Is there someone up there with Dawn?' she asked him.  
"Yeah" he spoke aloud and nodded, although it was pointless "can't tell who though"  
"Are you talking to us?" Xander asked, confused, but Anya answered him in a whisper.  
"Telepathy - it must be Willow"

'Get up there. Go now' the red-headed witch told the vampire as he continued to stare up at the tower.

"Yeah, but-" he began to protest but she interrupted him.  
'Go!' was the only word she used before the communication was over.

Spike knew she was right. He'd promised to keep Dawn safe. Willow had reminded him of that promise and he would not break it, for the love of Buffy he would not.

As he stormed the crowd of Glory's minions, the rest of the Scoobies looked on, shocked by his actions and unaware that the two witches across the warehouse had a plan.

Willow grabbed Tara's hand and with careful concentration a spell was cast. An invisible force caused the entire crowd to suddenly part like the Red Sea. They shouted, displeased, angry and confused, as the unseen hands pulled then off to the sides, allowing Spike to run through between them. 

The vampire wasted no time, diving up the stairs of the tower as soon as he reached them. He was soon at the last level where he ran up the ramp and climbed the ladder, praying to anyone that would listen that he would make it in time.

Doc wasted time as he pulled out a watch and told Dawn 'It is time'

She panicked and tried to break her bonds but relief flooded her features when she saw Spike appear.

"Spike!" she yelled his name but it caused the vamp a disadvantage as it drew Doc's attention to him. He whirled around as Spike came toward him.

"Doesn't a bloke stay dead when you kill him?" the vampire asked, striding purposefully at the man.  
"Look who's talking" Doc sneered, ready for a fight.  
"Come on, Doc. Let's you and me have a go" Spike said coolly and Doc glanced back at the girl tied to the tower.  
"I do have a prior appointment" he fingers the knife in his hands.  
"This won't take long" Spike told him, knowing it was true and hoping he could in fact finish the job he went up there to do.  
"No, I don't imagine it will" Doc smiled evilly as Spike lunged forward. Doc side-stepped the attack and grabbed Spike thrusting the knife he held into the brave vampires back. There was a sickening sound and Spike gasped in pain.

Down below them, Buffy continued laying into Glory with the Troll's hammer in her hands. The god began to look more and more defeated with every blow and blood ran out of her nose. She glared up at Buffy, a look of anguish plain on her features.

"You're just a mortal" she choked out "You couldn't understand my pain"  
"Then I'll just have to settle for causing it" Buffy seethed, raising the hammer again. She hit her, sending her reeling to the side but the hell-god was soon on her feet again.

"You can't kill me" she growled but Buffy knew she didn't need too.  
"No" she grinned, somewhat madly, "but my arm's not even tired yet"

On that note, she struck her again.

Back up on the platform, the knife from Spike's back, dripping with blood, fell to the floor. The black-clad figure pulled himself up between his enemy and his almost adopted sister. 

"You don't come near the girl, Doc" he threatened but the man was unafraid and confused.  
"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you" he told him "Why do you even care?"  
"I made a promise to a lady" Spike held his head high, proud that he was doing this for Buffy. He would die for her, for the sake of his promise to her, for the sake of his love for her.  
"Oh, then I'll send the lady your regrets" Doc yelled, diving at Spike again and grappling with him. The two continued to fight and Dawn winced every time a strike was made. With one final punch Doc knocked Spike to the ground, his head hitting the platform and knocking him out cold.

Meanwhile, Buffy gasped as she swung again and again with the hammer, putting all her strength into defeating Glory. She knelt beside the broken god still hitting her over and over and over. Suddenly, the bloodied figured started to morph and Glory turned into Ben. Buffy lifted her hammer again but she could not strike the blow. 

"I'm sorry" the man beside her coughed as he tried to speak.  
"Tell her it's over" Buffy cried "She missed her shot. She goes. She ever comes near me and mine again..."  
"We won't. I swear" 

Buffy dropped the hammer, knowing the fight was over, at least for now. Besides, there was no way she could take the life of a human being and that is what was in front of her now. She turned and hurried toward the tower.

As Ben lie battered on the ground, he gave a pained cough and he tried to speak. 

"I guess we're stuck with each other, huh baby?"

His breaths came painfully as Giles moved to kneel beside him. 

"Can you move?" he asked simply.  
"I need a minute" Ben managed to say "She could've killed me"  
"No she couldn't" Giles shook his head "and sooner or later Glory will re-emerge, and make her pay for that, and the world with her. Buffy even knows that and still she couldn't take a human life. She's a hero, you see. She's not like us"  
"Us?" Ben gasped and choked as Giles suddenly reached down, clasping his hand over Ben's nose and mouth, holding them shut. The battered man struggled weakly but he has no power left. Giles kept him still and his calm expression remained throughout. 

At the top of the tower, Dawn screamed, as Doc approached her. Spike lie still unconscious behind the man, now of no use to anyone. The knife moved toward the young girls stomach and she had no way of fighting back or running.

Dawn cried and sobbed as the pain hit her, the knife making thin slits through the material of the ceremonial gown and then her skin.

"Shallow cuts...shallow cuts let the blood flow free" Doc said quietly as more cuts were made and more blood was released. The red liquid trickled down onto Dawn's feet, to the edges of her toes just as Buffy appeared.

"Dawn!" she cried to the girl she knew as her younger sister.  
"Buffy!" came her pained reply and Doc whirled around to confront the Slayer. 

"This should be interesting" he grinned, evilly, but Buffy didn't even pause. She just walked right past him, giving a forceful shove as she went. Doc stumbled backwards and fell over the edge of the platform. Neither Dawn nor Buffy noticed his fingers catch on the edge. 

Buffy moved quickly to Dawn, who continued sobbing with fear and pain. 

"Buffy, it hurts" she cried and the Slayers attention was completely with her 'sister'. She didn't notice Doc hauling himself up behind her.

Spike's eyes flickered open his first thought being the pain in his head, the second was immediately to warn Buffy of approaching danger.

"Buffy! Behind you!" hr yelled and Buffy turned just in time, hitting Doc again, with all her strength, making sure he really did go over the edge for good this time. His screaming continued, getting softer as he fell further away, and then it stopped with a sudden crash.

As Spike struggled to his feet, Buffy released Dawn from her bonds but it was all too late. A few drops of the girl's blood dripped over the edge of the platform and hung in mid-air. A small circle of light appeared, growing, getting bigger all the time. Buffy and Spike did not notice as they took one side each of Dawn and helped her limp across the platform. Suddenly, the younger girl stopped.

"Buffy, it's started" her voice was shaky as she realised it's was all too late.

Buffy and Spike turned now and both saw the bright light of the portal as it grew ever larger. Huge bolts of lightning flew from the hole, destroying the town around them. Buildings shattered and burned, and demons screams could be heard all around. The Scoobies watched from the ground as Buffy turned back to Dawn who continued to stare at the portal, horrified.

"I'm sorry" the younger girl sobbed.  
"It doesn't matter" Buffy answered calmly, shaking her head.

Dawn suddenly decided what she must do and broke from the grasp of her sister and her friend. She tried to run past Buffy but Spike grabbed at her arm. 

"What are you doing, pet?" he asked her and she looked at him with desperation in her eyes.  
"I have to jump. The energy" she explained.  
"It'll kill you" Buffy tried to reason with her, even though she knew what she said made sense.  
"I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it" Dawn tried to pull away and do what she planned to do, but niether of them would let her make such a sacrifice.  
"No" Buffy cried as the tower shook beneath them, making them all stumble. 

"I have to" Dawn begged "Look at what's happening"

More lightning crackled from the portal, even larger than before, and Buffy and Spike watched as a huge dragon flew out and away.

"Buffy, you have to let me go" Dawn begged "Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop"

Buffy stared at Dawn in anguish, knowing what she said was right but not wanting to let the girl she saw as her baby sister go. 

"You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood" Dawn cried as the two girls held onto each other, eyes locked together.

"Cause it's always got to be blood" Spike murmured his words spoken earlier. A thought had developed in his mind and now it all made sense.

He grabbed Dawn from Buffy's grasp, making both girls jump. He hated himself for what he was about to do and with the chip it was going to be painful, but he had to do it. Vamping out, he sunk his teeth into Dawn's neck, draining her life's blood from her. Buffy watched, panic-stricken and shocked, but she didn't stop him. She knew what this brave vampire, this brave man, was trying to do.

Spike screwed his eyes up, tightly shut, as every gulp of blood sent a shocking pain through his head. Eventually, as Dawn became paler and paler, he felt her go limp in his arms. Not dead, merely unconscious, he handed the girls body to Buffy who laid her careful down on the platform.

In the distance, holes seemed to be opening in the sky and it grew lighter as the sun tried to rise. Buffy cried and sobbed at the sight of her sister and the thought of what Spike was about to do.

"You can't" she choked out as he looked toward the portal.

"Spike, no" she begged him but he had to do it, he knew he had to. He turned to her, gripping her upper arms, his human face now firmly back in place.

"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen"

Lightning continued to crackle behind them as Spike spoke his final words and the Scoobies watched from beneath the tower.

Finally Spike stroked the side of Buffy's face, then, leaning in, pressed a kiss to her forehead. Buffy's tears fell like rain as Spike took a run and a dive into the centre of the portal. He seemed to move in slow motion as Buffy sank to her knees beside Dawn's motionless body, barely breathing.

Spike fell and then hung, motionless, in the centre of the portal, making expressions of severe pain. The portal writhed and spat and a huge lighting strike shot out, passing through Buffy and Dawn, jolting their bodies wildly. The shock awakened the younger girl but seems not to harm either of them as it curved back into the opening half way down the tower. 

Buffy watched as Spike hung in the portal and Dawn gasped as she sat up and saw him there, realising what had happened and what he had done, and wondering how her strength had returned so fast. 

Buffy could almost hear Spike's final words to her as the portal continued to writhe with him inside of it.

"Buffy, listen to me. Listen. "I love you. I will *always* love you, but this is something I have to do"

The portal slowly shrunk to nothing and disappeared as if it had never been there at all. In the distance the sun began to rise, and Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, and Giles walked forwards, sadness etched on all their features.

"Tell Dawn I'm sorry for what I did" Buffy continued to hear the words "but it was for her own good. It'll all be okay. She's a survivor like her sister"

Down amongst the debris, Spike's lifeless body lay motionless as the Scoobies moved towards it.

"And tell the gang I care for them all, even if it wasn't obvious" he'd said, "You have to take care of each other, especially my nibblet. You'll all carry on without me, I'm just a worthless vampire" Buffy knew he was so much more than that, as she came down the stairs with Dawn beside her, both of them in a state of shock, but with their physical pain subsiding. 

"Buffy, just please don't ever forget me" Buffy cried again as she remembered those words, as if she ever could forget him after what he'd done, "Be brave. Live. And always remember - I love you"

Two days later, in a graveyard, beneath the sun and amongst the pretty trees and grass, a headstone was placed. A small bunch of flowers laid on the grass in front of it. 

The stone read simply: 

WILLIAM

~~~~~~~

A FIGHTER, A PROTECTOR, A FRIEND

HE SAVED THE WORLD

WITH HIS LOVE

__

...To Be Continued...

A/N : I would appreciate reviews please! Cos I'd like to know if you like this so far!


	2. The Pain & The Plan

A/N : Wow, I can't beleive I made people cry with my first chapter. I almost feel bad about that but I guess it means I wrote it well. Thanx to Melissa, Randy Bly, pokey, TInk, wolf116, Michelle, Six-faced Man, cassie, Marie and Rinny for the reviews. I was worried that no-one would like this story and I'm really glad that you all do. Anyway, here's the second chapter and I hope if you read it that you like it and that you leave a nice review for me - thankyou!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 2

Willow descended the stairs of the Summers house, shaking her head as she reached the bottom and came into the living room. Xander, Tara, Anya, Dawn and Giles looked solemn, knowing that Buffy was no better. It was several weeks since the incident on the tower, the day when Spike had sacrificed himself and saved the world. Dawn had been deeply upset and blamed herself for a while but the others had convinced her it was not her fault. She didn't know what Spike was going to do and besides, he would not want her to feel bad about it. He cared for her and he would only want her to be happy.

Buffy was less easy to console. She barely spoke, she barely ate and she was a fraction of the woman she used to be. Her strength seemed to have almost completely vanished and she would stay in her room for hours, days even. Her friends were worried about her. The fact she wasn't eating much and her strength had seemingly disappeared, the fact she remained in her room, in the dark if possible, not wanting to talk to anyone or even see them really. 

"It's been weeks" Xander looked down as he spoke quietly from his spot on the sofa. Anya was next to him with Dawn on the other side. Giles sat in the armchair with Tara in another, Willow perching on the arm beside her. "I know it was tough but, I thought she'd be dealing by now..." he trailed off.

"It must be the guilt" Willow started, "I can't see why else she'd be so upset, unless..."

"Unless what, sweetie?" Tara prompted her girlfriend. If she had an idea then they all needed to know. Willow and Tara had moved into the house once it became obvious that Buffy was in no condition to look after herself, nevermind Dawn.

"Well, he loved her" the red-head sighed, "What's to say she didn't love him too?"

"Impossible" Giles said immediately, which upset the youngest girl in the room.

"Why?" Dawn snapped, "because he's a vampire?"

Everyone looked uncomfortable as the teen stood up, especially as they noticed her speak in the present tense - as if Spike were still alive or at least undead.

"He loved her, he really did and she could love him too! She loved Angel! And don't tell me a soul makes all the difference. If Spike was capable of loving us enough to die for us, why shouldn't Buffy love him too? Just because it wasn't obvious doesn't mean she doesn't feel it!"

The younger Summers girl stalked up the stairs, tears streaming down her face. She planned on going straight to her room but Buffy's bedroom door had been left open and the young girl was drawn to her sister.

Buffy half laid, half sat on her bed, a glazed look in her eyes and a blank expression on her face. It was as if she wasn't even there, just a figure, just a body, barely alive. Dawn sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her sister. So pale and drawn, she was barely recognisable as the Slayer.

"Buffy" Dawn whispered, "I'm sorry. Everyone keeps telling me not to blame myself, but I'm sorry anyway" She moved her hand to push some stray blonde strands off of her sister's face, but Buffy didn't even move, not at all.

"Y'know it's okay" Dawn told her, "It's okay if...if you..if you loved him, Spike I mean"

"Spike" Buffy echoed his name, eyes still focused somewhere else, "My William"

Silent tears spilled down her cheeks once more and Dawn decided to leave her alone again. It was pointless sitting there with her, she barely knew she was there.

Dawn was just about to close the door when she heard a whisper and she listened to the words her sister kept repeating softly to herself, the same words she had said to herself since that day on the tower.

"Always remember - I love you"

Dawn closed the door and cried a few of her own tears, for Spike and for Buffy, til she felt someone behind her.

"Hey Dawnie, we're sorry if we upset you" Tara smiled slightly and the two girls hugged each other.

"It's okay" the younger girl nodded as they pulled apart, "I probably over-reacted anyway"

"How's Buffy?" Tara whispered her question as the two girls headed back down the stairs.

"The same, still talking to herself" Dawn sighed.

"You okay, honey?" Willow tried to smile at Dawn who shrugged a reply as she entered the living room again, "and Buffy?"

"No better" she said sitting back on the sofa as Tara went back to her chair.

"Why can't she talk to me?" Giles thought aloud. He was her Watcher, practically her father, he felt responsible for her and yet she would not let him in, wouldn't talk to him, or anybody.

"When she had problems she talked to Spike" Dawn explained, "Same as I did"

"It's ironic, the person she needs to get over him is him" Xander laughed humourlessly. He and Spike, they had never seem eye-to-eye, in fact they had more or less hated each other, but even Xander had to admit that Spike had done a brave and wondrous thing when he made that deadly jump into the portal. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when I said this" the young man continued, "but I wish Spike were here"

"We all do" Tara nodded in agreement.

"Then why don't we bring him back?" Dawn had a sudden thought.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked, leaning forward in his chair.

Dawn looked at the floor and tried not to cry as she explained herself.

"When Mom died, I did a spell, to bring her back..." she swallowed hard, "Spike helped me"

"Dawn that kind of spell is dangerous..." Anya told her.

"I know, that's why I broke it, but there are two of you" she continued, looking up at the two witches in the armchair, "and you have all this power and Spike was a vampire so I know it would be different, but, couldn't we try?"

"Dawnie, I don't think the answer is..." Willow started but she was interrupted by someone entering the room from the kitchen.

"I made coffee" the creature who seemed to be Buffy announced with a smile as she put the tray down on the table. The Scoobies had used the BuffyBot for the purposes of patrolling since the real Buffy had not felt up to leaving her room, nevermind staking the undead. It would not do for the demons of Sunnydale to know that the Slayer was so vulnerable, but the gang knew Buffy would probably not appreciate having the mechanical double around so she had been staying with Giles.

"I think perhaps I should be going and taking Bu..her home" Giles amended, tilting his head toward the robot and getting out of his seat.

"Yeah, we should go too" Xander nodded also standing up with Anya at his side.

"I'll give you both a lift" the older man offered and the three, plus the Buffybot, said their goodbyes.

"I'm going to bed" Dawn gave the two Wiccas a half smile and climbed the stairs.

"Night Dawnie" they called behind her and Tara yawned.

"Maybe we should head up too"

"Yeah" Willow nodded as her girlfriend got out of her seat, "Tara, what Dawn said about bringing Spike back...do you think we could?"

The other witch glanced back at the red-head.

"Willow, you know it's dangerous, but...I don't know, maybe it would be possible"

"It's just" Willow sighed, "Buffy needs him, I, I'm starting t-to think she might love him and well, we need her and she needs him so..."

"We'd need supplies, and it wouldn't be easy" Tara admitted "but w-we could try"

Willow smiled, a thing rarely seen amongst the gang lately.

"We should try" she nodded, "We've got nothing to lose"

"We'll start research in the morning" Tara smiled back, "but in the meantime" she held out her hand, "let's go to bed"

* * * * *

Seven thirty in the morning, the alarm clock in the Wicca bedroom sprung to life and both young women moved to turn it off. Neither had really slept, too busy thinking about what they had discussed before.

"Should we tell the others?" Willow wondered, aloud.

"I don't know" Tara was just as undecided on that issue as her girlfriend was. "Dawn would approve and maybe even Xander and Anya, but I can't see Giles liking it"

"What about Buffy?" the red head sighed, "We can't really tell her either, I mean, get her hopes up and then if it didn't work, she'd be heart broken all over again"

"Do you really think she loved him?" Tara turned on her side and looked at Willow.

"Did and does, I think" the other witch nodded, "she wouldn't be like this just from guilt, not for all this time and you've heard her when she talks to herself"

"Always remember - I love you" Tara said quietly, echoing the words they had all heard Buffy repeating so often. "You think that's the last thing he said? Before, y'know"

"Could be" Willow agreed, "Could be what she wants him to know too"

"I can't imagine what I'd do if anything happened to the person I love" Tara fought back tears, "If anything happened to you"

Willow hugged her girlfriend.

"Well, nothing will happen to me, we're going to be together forever, I promise" she assured her, "And if our plan works, Buffy and Spike will be together too"

* * * * *

"And this will work?" Xander asked the two Wiccas. Willow and Tara had just divulged their plan to their fellow Scoobies; Xander, Anya and Dawn. It was a week since their original idea and since then Willow and Tara had studied every possible book about resurrection and revival, in an attempt to find a spell to bring back Spike. Eventually, when they were sure they had the right one and one that stood a chance of working, they told their friends about it. 

"It should work" Willow nodded, "Of course there are no guarantees"

It was late in the day and the Scoobies were gathered around a table at the Magic Box. Giles was at the Summers house, taking his turn to 'baby-sit' Buffy. Of course this had been planned so that the younger members of the group could discuss their plan and then patrol with the Bot as usual when it got dark.

"Well, I think it is good that someone is finally doing something useful" Anya spoke suddenly, "Sitting around crying isn't helping anyone"

"Anya" Xander said her name with a warning tone, but it had no effect, his girlfriend did not see how she had done anything wrong.

"She's right" Dawn agreed, "We should be doing something other than feeling bad about it"

"Well, we will" Willow nodded, "and it has to be soon too. The spell has to be done under the full moon and we have a lot of ingredients to get sorted out before then. We only have eight days"

"Eight days?" Xander echoed, "that's not long. Do you think we can do it?"

"I think we have to" the red-headed witch half smiled.

Back at the Summers house, Giles was half asleep in an armchair, the television still switched on in front of him. Suddenly the man was awoken by a scream and he shot up the stairs immediately. He flung open the door to Buffy's room and found her writhing on her bed, yelling, her eyes firmly shut, in the midst of a nightmare.

"Buffy, its okay" Giles told her, trying to hold her, "It's okay, you're safe, it's just a dream" 

He shook her slightly.

"Wake up Buffy, please, it's just a dream"

"Spike!" she yelled, still dreaming, "Please don't leave me" she sobbed and cried and choked on her words, as her Watcher tried to hold her still.

"Buffy, please" he shook her a little harder and her eyes shot open.

"Spike?" she whispered when she realised there were a man's arms around her.

"Buffy it's me, Giles" the man told her, hugging her. 

The girl sobbed into his chest, realising what had happened at last. It was another dream, another flashback, Spike was still gone.

"Always remember - I love you, always remember - I love you" she repeated her mantra, softly to herself as Giles laid her back down in her bed and she cried herself to sleep once more.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Resurrection

A/N : Here's the third chapter which is quite long, but the next chapter probably won't be that long, however because I plan for it to be a little bit shorter it does mean I'll have it finished and posted sooner. That's enought rambling, so I'll just say thanx to everyone who reviewed chapter two, and I hope you enjoy (and decide to review) chapter three too. Oh, and I know Buffy's reaction was a bit severe but I'm thinking having a guy kill himself for you is going to cause a major reaction!

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 3

"Hey Will" Xander greeted his friend as she entered the Magic Box. Anya smiled from behind the counter where she was counting money.

"Hey guys, is Giles around?"

"No, he was going over to your place with the bot, apparently she misfired or something, needs repairing" Xander explained.

"Oh then I should get back there, I left Tara with Buffy" the red-head told them, "but I'm actually glad he's not here, I brought the last thing for the spell" she said, taking a jar from her backpack.

"I can't believe we're gonna do this" the brunette smiled as he watched his friend produce the last needed item "and tomorrow, its so soon"

"I know" Willow nodded "but we have to do it. For Dawn and for Buffy"

"Do I wanna know what's in this jar?" Xander asked as he took it from his friend, a thick mixture of red and black swirled inside the container.

Willow grimaced and shook her head.

"Just put it in the trunk with the other stuff" 

There was silence as he went to the back room and did just that, taking a moment to marvel at the contents of the trunk no-one but the Scoobies knew anything about, not even Giles. Many spell ingredients, ancient writings, jars of things that Xander either couldn't pronounce or just didn't want to know about, black market produce, powerful things that could be used for great evil as well as the greater good.

He closed the trunk and returned to the main room, sharing small smiles with the two women there.

"Okay...well, thirty six hours to go" Willow tried to sound positive but inside she was freaking out about the resurrection. Xander voiced his own feelings on the matter just then.

"I'm starting to worry about this Will, are you sure it's gonna be okay. I mean I didn't want to say this in front of Dawn or anything but what if he comes back wrong?" he asked the witch with concern "What if he comes back like evil, or more evil or y'know what I mean"

"Trust me Xander" she said, taking his hand and squeezing it, "it'll be fine" she said calmly, wishing she believed in what she was saying. So many things could go wrong.

"But we might get it wrong"

"We won't" Willow said even more firmly "You want me to go through it again with you?"

"I would, please" Anya spoke up. She was an ex-demon and she knew about magic and things but to bring back a vampire from the dead, a good vampire killed by a mystical power who died to save the world, well, it was complex.

"Okay" the witch sat down at the table, Xander and Anya sat opposite her "basically by combining mine and Tara's power and burning a mixture of certain rare ingredients, we can call on the greater powers" she began to explain.

"The powers, that's the gods, right?" Xander wanted to make sure he understood completely, this could not be screwed up.

"Well, yes, and we must ask them to let Spike cross over from wherever he's gone" Willow told him "I should say, wherever his spirit has gone" she amended.

"But he didn't have a soul cos he was a vampire" Xander thought aloud "so when you say spirit...?"

"Even though demons don't have souls, they have a spirit and some of them have good in them" Anya pointed out.

"Yes" Willow agreed "we know that because Spike was able to feel love for Buffy and Dawn, enough that he sacrificed himself for them. He has some worth in that respect and the powers may therefore be inclined to let him come back"

"So, where exactly do you think his spirit would have gone?" the human wondered.

"Well, it's hard to say" Willow shook her head, it was complicated "He wasn't killed by staking or holy water or fire like ordinary vampires, in many ways he wasn't an ordinary vampire, that's why we stand more chance of the spell working. There's a chance he went to some kind of heaven but being killed by a mystical spirit like he was and being filled with Dawns blood, it's hard to say exactly what would have happened"

There was silence as the three took in what was being said and the gravity of the situation. It was a major thing that they were going to try to do.

"And we all have to be there, at the graveside" Xander looked pale with worry, messing with the undead everyday he figured he'd be okay with this, but the idea of raising the dead to be undead again, it was confusing and freaking him out.

"Well, the more of us there the more energy will be focused" the witch reasoned "so with me and Tara, you two and Dawn, and a lot of concentration, I think we should be able to pull it off"

Xander sighed.

"Well, I guess tomorrow night, we'll find out"

* * * * *

"Buffy?" Dawn sat on the edge of her sisters bed again, hoping she would listen to he this time, that she would hear her words and understand, "Buffy, we're going to make it all okay again, we're going to try our best and then it will all be okay again"

Willow had made the young Summers girl promise not to say too much about their plans to resurrect Spike. If the spell didn't go to plan and he didn't come back, or he came back wrong and they had to destroy what did appear, it would be less painful it Buffy knew nothing of it.

"I have to go now" Dawn said quietly, "But it's gonna be okay Buffy. Giles is gonna stay here again tonight so you won't be alone, and if tonight goes okay, which we're pretty sure it will, well, we won't ever be alone again"

Dawn kissed her sister on the forehead and slipped out of the room. As she headed down the stairs she heard someone at the front door and soon Giles and Xander appeared in the room.

"Hey Dawnster, ready to patrol?"

Since Spike had died and Buffy had been unable to patrol the Scoobies had taken over, taking the BuffyBot and Dawn out with them. At first the gang had refused when Dawn begged to be included, Buffy never wanted her to fight demons, but when she pouted and said she wanted to do it for Spike and for Buffy, they relented and let her go with them.

As it turned out, Dawn had strength and moves that the Slayer herself would have been proud of and she surprised everybody, including herself. She did not tell anyone, but since that day on the tower she had felt this extra power in her being. It was a little scary for her but she had been so glad she was no longer the Key, that she was normal, she didn't want everyone to think she was a freak all over again.

"Yeah, I'm ready" Dawn nodded her head and went to fetch her jacket. As she came back into the room Giles turned to her.

"How is Buffy?"

"More or less the same" her sister admitted to the Watcher, and in her mind she added, 'but after tonight she'll be better'.

"Okay, well, I'll see you two later" the older man nodded as Xander and Dawn left the house.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to keep this a secret from Giles?" Dawn asked as soon as they were outside.

"We have to Dawnie, we don't have a choice. He wouldn't approve of the method even if he does of the end result" the man explained.

The girl nodded that she understood. She focused on the good that would, hopefully, come out of tonight. They would bring Spike back and then Buffy would be okay again. She smiled at the thought of having the two most important people in her life back the way they should be.

* * * * *

The Scoobies had met at the Magic Box and took the necessary supplies with them to Spikes grave. It was the night of the full moon, as it needed to be, all they had to do now was wait until midnight. 

11:55

Willow sat facing the tombstone, Tara on her left with Dawn next to her, and Xander to her right with Anya next to him. In the centre of the circle, formed of five people and the headstone, lay a dish with a mixture of ingredients inside. In front of Willow lay a box of matches

11:56

Dawn glanced over at the tombstone, read it's words again like she had so many time these last few weeks since her friend had sacrificed himself for her sake, her sisters sake, the worlds sake. He was William, he was Spike, her protecter, her friend, a warrior until his end, he went down fighting as he always knew he would.

11:57

Willow and Tara exchanged nervous smiles, knowing what they were doing was against so many rules of the world and life and death, but also knowing what they were doing was right even if it was unnatural. This vampire, this man, had ended his undead existence for the sake of the world and his love for a woman, he would return to that world and that woman tonight - he deserved to.

11:58

Xander glanced around the circle and then back at the ground. He felt strange, not just because he was about to resurrect a dead vampire, although that would be enough to scare anyone. He felt odd because he and Spike, well, they had never seen eye to eye, and here he was helping to bring him back from the dead. He wondered to himself 'why am I doing this?' but he knew the answer. Spike was one of the Scoobies, how ever much Xander tried to deny it, he was a changed vamp and he loved Buffy and Dawn that was for sure. Those two needed him, the world needed him, he had to come back.

11:59

If Xander felt strange, Anya felt stranger. An ex-demon helping in the resurrection of an evil-turned-loving dead vampire. But she was helping Dawn and Buffy and that was all she needed to know.

Seconds before midnight, Willow took a match and lit the contents of the bowl before her. She began to chant in Latin, taking Tara and Xanders hands in hers. They in turn took the hands of Dawn and Anya and as Willow nodded the signal the teenager and the ex-demon placed their hands on the side of the headstone.

A smoky mist floated from the dish and whooshed around the circle of friends, faster and faster, visibly red and orange in colour, spinning to form a ring within the circle.

Willows chant ended and she spoke in English now.

"Concentrate on the energy" she told her friends before looking heavenward.

"Oh great powers, we ask this of you

Send back this warrior who died for love

Regenerate body and resurrect,

Let his spirit cross over and come back to us"

The circle of energy shifted, wrapping itself around Willows head, still spinning.

"Concentrate" the witch whispered and the friends gripped each others hands tighter.

The band of energy tightened around the witches head, tighter and tighter making Willow scream in agony.

"Let his spirit cross over and come back to us" she yelled through the pain.

The other four friends looked panicked by the red-heads pain but did not know what to do about it or if they should do anything at all. Tara remembered Willow telling her there might be pain but she had not imagined anything like this.

Suddenly, without warning a gang of demons rushed the Scoobies. They dropped each others hands and got to their feet instinctively. As soon as the circle was broken the energy moved from around Willow's head, hovered over the grave and disappeared, as the witch collapsed on the ground.

"Willow!" Tara screamed, rushing to help her girlfriend.

Xander, Anya and Dawn began battling demons left and right. there was no telling why they had come or where they had come from but it didn't matter. As far as the gang were concerned they just needed killing.

Willow came back to consciousness with Tara at her side.

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

"Demons attacked" Tara hurriedly explained, "We have to get out of here"

"The spell" Willow mumbled as her girlfriend helped her to her feet.

"Not now, we have to go" the blonde Wicca told the red-head, but she argued.

"It has to be done now, we have to finish" she rambled.

"No, we have to get you out of here" Tara said firmly. She focused herself enough to put a moveable protective barrier around herself and her girlfriend and started half carrying, half dragging her away from the scene.

Xander, Anya and Dawn managed to kill several demons and Dawn surprised herself with just what she could do. It would have surprised the others too but they were too busy fighting to notice. Finally as the last demon was killed the group stood together and looked around at the devastation.

"Worst timing ever for an attack" Xander panted for breath and the two girls nodded in agreement.

"My friends" they heard suddenly, all turning to see what looked like Buffy behind them.

"Hey Buffster-bot" Xander called, "You couldn't have got here a little faster, say when we were fighting the demons"

"It's not her fault, Xan" Dawn pointed out, "She's not really Buffy"

"Maybe we should get back to the house, see if Willow and Tara are okay" he suggested next.

"You and Anya go" Dawn said quickly, "I'll patrol with the bot, in case anymore nasties show up"

"It'd be safer if we all went home..." the man started but Dawn cut him off.

"No, please, I need some time" she said slowly, and Xander knew what she meant. The spell had failed, he suddenly realised it, and Dawn was hurting all over again.

"Okay, Dawnie. Anya and me will go back and we'll see you in say two hours, no longer"

Dawn nodded in agreement, before walking away with the robot of Buffy.

* * * * * 

"You foolish girls!" Giles reprimanded the two Wiccas as they finished divulging their plan to him. He was shocked by their behaviour.

"That sort of spell is very dangerous!" he told them, cleaning his glasses for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"We know" Tara nodded, "but we had to try Giles, for Buffy's sake as well as for Dawn"

The Watcher sighed and sat down.

"I do understand why you did it, but I worry about all of you and anything could have happened"

"But it's okay" Willow assured him, "I mean, the spell failed, but I'll be okay and I'm hoping the guys handled the demons"

"Certainly did" Xander smiled, entering the room with Anya, "All done and dusted, pardon the pun"

"Where's Dawn?" Giles wanted to know.

"Patrolling with the bot" Xander explained, "She needed some time"

The gang all nodded that they understood.

"Well, I'm thinking research of the new demon population is in order" Xander continued, "Cos I'd never seen those type of things before and I sure don't think I can face sleep tonight"

"Very well" Giles agreed, getting up, "We'll go to the Magic Box"

"Willow, you shouldn't go anywhere, you're still weak" Tara told her girlfriend.

"I'll stay here" Willow nodded, "Someone has to stay with Buffy anyway, but you go, all of you, the more people the faster the research gets done"

The two Wiccas shared a watery smile, before Tara nodded and agreed to go with Xander, Anya and Giles to the Magic Box.

* * * * *

The Buffybot wasn't half as smart as Buffy and it didn't take Dawn long to get the facsimile of her sister to let her go on alone. Yes, there were dangers, but Dawn had felt a lot stronger since that day on the tower, and look what she had done to those demons today! It seemed so strange for her to be so strong when Buffy seemed so weak, it was almost as if...

A strange feeling came over Dawn and she knew she was being watched.

"Who's there?" she called, before realising how stupid that was. A vampire or demon or something was hardly likely to call back and tell her who they were. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder and without a second thought Dawn grabbed the arm and spun the figure around. She laid a few impressive punches and kicks on him before finally bringing him to the ground with a crash. Dawn moved towards the black clad creature, lying on its back in front of her. She didn't even consider running, she grabbed her stake from her pocket and made to launch herself at the figure who had attacked her.

"Buffy?" she heard him murmur and she knew that voice. Through the shadows she made out a face.

"Spike?" she whispered, kneeling beside him. Bright blue orbs blinked up at her.

"Little Bit?" Spike gaped at her.

"Oh my God, Spike, it worked!" Dawn shreiked, grabbing her friend "It worked! It's really you!"

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Alive

A/N : I apologise for this chapter being so short but I promise the next one will be longer. Thanx to everyone who reviewed the third chapter - I appreciate it a lot.

(For disclaimer, etc - see Chapter 1)

Chapter 4

"Oh my God, Spike, it worked! It's really you!"

Dawn shrieked with delight as she helped Spike up off the ground and made to hug him, but he pulled back and shook his head violently.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you" she said quickly wondering why he seemed so desperate to escape her grasp.

"No, no, no, too hot, too hot and too loud" he rambled, wandering back and forth and shaking his head.

"Spike, it's okay" Dawn tried to calm him down and she reached for his hand. She was shocked when she saw blood.

"What happened to your hands?" she asked him but he wasn't making sense, still repeating words like 'hot' and 'loud' and seeming completely disorientated.

"Look, let's just get you back to the house" the young Summers tried to get him to listen, "Spike for Buffy's sake, please"

"For Buffy" Spike echoed, suddenly still and quiet.

"Yes, for Buffy, come home with me"

Spike just nodded and Dawn led him by the arm, through the graveyard and back to the Summers house, only glad they were not too far away and that hopefully either Willow or Tara would be home by now.

"Too loud, too hot, oh god please help me, make it stop" Spike continued to mumble to himself and Dawn was getting scared as she entered the house and sat him down on the sofa. He didn't seem at all aware of where he was or what was going on.

Willow came down the stairs when she heard someone at the front door. She had been checking on Buffy while the rest of the gang were at the Magic Box, researching the demon from earlier.

"Dawnie?" she called as she entered the living room. She jumped back several feet when she saw Spike on the sofa with Dawn kneeling in front of him.

"Willow, I don't know what to do with him" the teen said as calmly as she could, and the red-headed started to edge forward towards Spike.

"Oh my God, it worked, he's back" she said in amazement. She'd been so convinced their spell had failed when he didn't appear immediately.

"Yeah, but something isn't right" Dawn sighed as Spike writhed on the sofa, half standing then sitting again and rambling madly still, "I found him in the graveyard like this - and look at his hands"

"Oh God, the graveyard..." Willow put her hand over her mouth and went deathly pale. It all added up to something frightening.

"What is it Willow?" Dawn didn't understand.

"We brought him back" she said quietly, sitting down on the coffee table opposite the frantic man as he seemed to tire of thrashing around, "We brought him back right where we left him"

"Oh my God, you mean in the ground?" Dawn felt sick at the realisation.

Willow nodded, swallowing hard as Spike seemed to get calmer, almost lying flat on the sofa now, speaking less and not shaking so much.

"How did he get out of the coffin and the grave?" Dawn whispered, almost afraid of what she was asking.

"I guess from the state of his hands he dug out. No wonder he's such a mess"

"But he would have done that when he first became a vampire" Dawn thought aloud.

"I don't think it's something you get used to Dawnie, it's still gonna be traumatic" Willow spoke quietly as Spike finally slept. She stood up and took Dawn aside.

"Go and fetch the others, tell them what happened and bring them back here" she told the younger girl, "Tell them to be quiet when they come in, we should let him sleep, maybe he'll be better when he wakes up again. I'll try to clean his hands up while he's sleeping"

"Okay" Dawn nodded, going to fetch her jacket.

"Oh Willow" she said to her friend before she left, "What about Buffy?"

"She's asleep too and it won't help her to see him like this anyway" the Wicca explained.

Dawn nodded in agreement as she opened the front door.

"And Dawn" he friend called to her, "be careful"

The young girl left the house and Willow went to fetch bandages and other supplies to clean up Spikes hands. She sat on the coffee table as she had before and reached out to clean the blood from his fingers. He flinched in his sleep and Willow realised it was never going to work. She sighed, glad she was a witch and with a few simple words and the pointing of her fingers, the cuts on Spikes hands cleaned and sealed themselves.

Willow smiled at her work and went to out the medical supplies back in the kitchen cupboard. Spike was back, a little worse for wear mentally right now, but she was sure he would be alright. Okay, maybe she wasn't sure, but she hoped. If Spike was okay then Buffy should be too and things could get back to normal.

A sound from the living room interrupted her thoughts and the red-head rushed back to see Spike moving slightly and moaning in his sleep. She moved cautiously towards him and saw he was sweating too.

Willow put her hand on his forehead and found him to be very hot and feverish. 'How is that possible?' she thought to herself, 'Vampires are cold' She placed her other hand on his head instead, checked again, thinking she was going crazy. No, she was right, he was very hot. He seemed to be calming down again and she pushed his hair out of his face as he slept quietly again. It was then she noticed something, underneath her hand, a strange movement like a pulse, but it couldn't be, not a real pulse.

Willow carefully moved her hand from Spike's head to his chest. A regular thump was there, a heartbeat. She drew her hand back fast as if it had burnt her.

Body heat, a pulse, a heartbeat and, she checked, yes, he was breathing steadily, out of necessity. Realisation dawned within her mind just as she heard the front door open.

She turned as the Scoobies; Dawn, Xander, Anya, Tara and Giles, as they piled into the living room. They all glanced at Spike in wonder and then at Willow. They knew he was back but actually seeing him there, asleep on the sofa was a shock. Willow half smiled, pleased but confused by her discovery.

"Guys" she said, slowly "Spike's back and...he's alive"

_To Be Continued_


	5. Realisation & Explanation

A/N : Thanx to everyone who wrote such wonderful reviews for me - you guys are the best. Here's the next chapter. Spike and the Scoobies talk in this chapter and then the next chapter will be Spike and Buffy.

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

The Scoobies; Dawn, Xander, Anya, Tara and Giles, piled into the living room. They all glanced at Spike in wonder and then at Willow. They knew he was back but actually seeing him there, asleep on the sofa was a shock. Willow half smiled, pleased but confused by her discovery.

"Guys" she said, slowly "Spike's back and...he's alive"

"He's what?" Dawn's eyes were wide with shock as she took a step forward towards the man asleep on the sofa.

"Alive" Willow repeated, almost unable to believe it herself, but almost one hundred percent sure it was true.

Dawn moved forward, just watching Spike as he slept. Could it be possible that he was no longer a vampire but a real human again?

"This is extraordinary" Giles gasped, "And you are certain of this fact Willow?" he checked.

"He's got a heartbeat and a pulse and everything" she nodded, "He's warm, too hot actually even for a human, and he seems to be breathing more out of necessity than habit. He's alive" she said again.

"Well then, it is no wonder his was confused as Dawn said" the Watcher cleaned his glasses as he spoke, "To be brought back from, wherever he was and to be a human instead of a vampire, imagine the distress"

"Plus the whole digging out of the ground thing" Xander shuddered at his own thought.

"So, the spell worked but it went wrong" Anya was having trouble understanding, as usual. She was standing with Xander, holding onto his hand, with Giles and Tara on her other side. Dawn, who was now sitting on the edge of the sofa by the sleeping Spike, turned to answer her question.

"Well we got him back so yeah, the spell worked, but something weird happened"

Willow, standing between the other Scoobies and the sofa, shook her head.

"I don't know what happened, I mean, he was just supposed to come back the way he went - a vampire"

The gang just stood still, awe-struck by the whole situation when suddenly there was a sound, something like a moan from Spike.

"Spike, can you hear me?" Dawn asked him gently, "Spike, it's okay, it's Dawn"

"Nibblet" he whispered as is eyes fluttered open.

"Yeah, it's me" the girl smiled when she heard one of his many nicknames for her, "Don't worry, you're safe and you're gonna be okay"

"Make the noise stop, it's too loud, thumping" he rambled quietly his eyes flickering open and closed.

"It's okay" the young girl assured him, "You're back home now, whatever happened to you when you left it's over now"

"The heat, the noise, please make it stop" he begged, starting to struggle to get away.

"He must have been somewhere awful to be in that kind of state" Xander spoke quietly to Giles, "You think he's been in hell? Y'know with the heat and the noise?"

"No" the Watcher shook his head as realisation dawned on his face, "No, it's his body"

"Of course" Willow nodded in understanding, "Vampires are cold, now he's a human he's warm and he doesn't understand why"

"But the noise..." Tara started before realising, "Oh, it's his heartbeat, he's not used to hearing it"

"Spike" Dawn turned her attention back to the semi-conscious figure on the sofa, "Spike, it's okay, but you're alive now, not dead or undead anymore, you're alive"

He stopped moving completely and his eyes were suddenly wide open, boring holes into the girl who leaned over him. 

"You have bodyheat like the rest of us now" Dawn continued quietly "And that sound you hear is your heart" 

She smiled as she picked up one of the mans magically healed hands and placed it over her own chest and then over his.

"You see, you have a heartbeat like mine"

There was a moments silence as the ex-vampire stared up at her and the other Scoobies watched the almost completely one-sided conversation in amazement. Slowly Spike nodded, it seemed he was beginning to understand.

"How?" he asked in a low whisper and Willow knelt on the floor beside him.

"We don't know Spike, we were just trying to bring you back, to bring you home"

The man glanced over at the witch and then back at Dawn. He nodded again, his head was spinning but things were starting to make some sense.

He remembered waking up in the coffin and being scared. He felt claustraphobic and he dug his way out through the box and the ground until he reached oxygen. Breathing had been hard and he'd found he needed to do it too. Then it had hit him, the heat and the sound and it was too much. He was disorientated and confused and he had wandered through the graveyard for several minutes until he'd seen someone, a person. He'd thought it was Buffy, she looked like her, from the back and in the dark. He soon found out she fought like her too, but it wasn't Buffy. It had been Dawn, his Little Bit. She was alive and well and suddenly it all came rushing back to him, the day on the tower - his death.

"I'm sorry" he whispered. Dawn shook her head, she didn't understand and Spike looked up at her with visible tears in his eyes.

"I hurt my Nibblet, I bit you" he said in a shaky voice, he couldn't bare to face her eyes and he glanced away. Dawn put her hand on the side of his face and turned his head til he looked at her again.

"You did it to save my life" she smiled, "to save Buffy's life and to save the world. You don't have to apologise for that"

He nodded slowly, weakly, he understood.

"And I'm fine" Dawn smiled as tears slid down her cheeks, tears of joy at having Spike back, "We're all fine, look everyone's here for you" she gestured across the room and he turned to see the silent Scoobies.

"Welcome home, Spike" Tara smiled and he smiled back at the kindly witch, then at Anya who waved a little. 

"I guess my calling you Evil Dead is over" Xander grinned, trying to bring some humour to the situation. Giles rolled his eyes, thinking the comment inappropriate, but Spike just smiled.

He was back, in the world he had died to save and surrounded by people that he had cared about. He'd told Buffy he'd cared about them all and as strange as it seemed it was true, even the whelp with his stupid comments. He'd missed them all in the place where he'd been, especially Buffy - where was she?

"Buffy?" Spike asked weakly, "Is she okay?"

"Yes" Dawn answered quickly, "Well" she considered what she'd said, "she misses you a lot"

'Understatement of the century' the entire room thought simultaneously.

"Where is she?" Spike tried to sit up, but found he had hardly any strength and fell straight back down.

"Upstairs, sleeping" Willow told him, "which you should probably be doing too"

"I want to see her, please" he begged, knowing he could do nothing but ask. He had to have their permission and their help if he was going to make it up those steps to his beloved girl.

The Scoobies glanced at each other and Xander spoke up.

"We brought you back for her, makes sense for you to see her now you're here"

"Something sensible from you Xander" Giles commented, "Two miracles in one night"

"Watcher makes jokes now" said Spike with a grin, causing the rest of the group to smile too. Their expressions soon changed to grimaces as Spike tried to climb off of the sofa. They could almost feel the pain he felt as he pulled his weary body to it's feet. Willow stepped toward him, encouraging him to lean on her.

"Thanks Red" he smiled and she felt tears in her eyes at the sound of the name she'd missed hearing, "And I mean for everything" 

"Let's get you to Buffy" she smiled in response and they walked toward the stairs. As the reached the bottom, Spike grabbed the banister rail and let go of the witch.

"I can manage now" he told her.

"Okay" she nodded, "Er, Buffy doesn't know that we were going to bring you back"

"Why didn't you tell her?" he asked with a tilt of his head. He leaned his weight on the banister and looked over at the gang.

"She's not like she was" Dawn told him, "She hasn't been the same since you left"

"What's wrong with her?" he wanted to know, suddenly panicked and very alert.

"She's weak" Willow explained, "She hasn't been eating much and she doesn't like leaving her room. She says things, sort of to herself..."

"What kind of things?" he wanted to know.

"'Always remember - I love you'" Dawn quoted, "That's what she says most, sometimes I think she's trying to talk to you"

"No" Spike shook his head and then glanced up the stairs as he thought of Buffy, "No, that was what I said to her, the very last thing I..." he trailed off, suddenly starting to climb the stairs.

The rest just watched him go, hoping that all would be well now he was back. He was back as a human now and that would take some getting used to for everybody, himself included, but with any luck Buffy would get back to some normality soon.

__

To Be Continued...

* * * * *

A/N 2 : I know that was a horrible place to stop but I'll try to get the next chapter done really soon. Also, I should be updating 'The Guy Next Door' either later today or tomorrow. 


	6. Reunited

A/N : Finally, I have brought Spike and Buffy back together! Of course, that does not mean that the story is over, so don't worry about that. Thanx to everyone who reviewed so far - every single nice review means a lot to an author. Hope you like this next chapter.

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 6 - Reunited

At the top of the stairs, Spike stopped, looking toward the door he knew Buffy was behind. He'd missed her. He wasn't sure where he'd been, somewhere between heaven and hell he guessed, all he knew was that he missed his love, his Buffy. Given what the Scoobies had said to him, that night on the tower had affected her badly, but could he assume she was such a mess because of him? Could it be that she loved him as he loved her? She had been echoing his final words apparently, that had to mean something, or was it simply guilt? Did she feel she should have made that sacrificial jump and that his death was somehow her fault? He would not allow her to think that.

Spike was suddenly aware he'd been standing outside the door almost five minutes. His new heart suddenly sped up as he thought of the girl on the other side and an unfamiliar heat surged through his body. He was human again, that was something that would take some getting used to, but right now all he cared about was Buffy.

He raised his fist to the door to knock and noticed is hand was shaking. He breathed deep, swallowed hard and tapped on the wood with his trembling fist. There was no sound from the other side so carefully Spike took hold of the doorknob and opened the door.

His knock had clearly been too quiet for she slept still. His Buffy slept, looking as angelic as he had ever seen her. She looked a little thinner, perhaps a little weaker, but nothing could lessen her beauty, not to Spike. His new heart raced as he moved toward her, kneeling down beside her bed, he brought one of his hands up to touch her face. He pushed some hair back from her eyes and marvelled at the sight before him. How long he'd been gone from this plane of existence he wasn't sure, but it had seemed too long for him. Too long without the beautiful woman before him now.

She stirred beneath his touch and he whispered her name. She stirred a little more and her eyes began to open.

"Hi honey, I'm home" he smiled, perhaps not the best time for a joke but it was the first thing he thought of to say. She smiled but did not move as she looked at him.

"I like this dream" she whispered, "I never want to wake up from this one"

He looked at her strangely, then realised what she meant and a warm feeling overflowed his beating heart. She dreamt of him, of his return and it appeared to be her favourite of dreams. That had to mean something, but he would find out what later.

"Luv, you are awake, it's not a dream" he smiled, "I'm really here"

Her eyes went wide and she blinked hard as she tried to take in what he was saying.

"I can't explain it exactly" Spike continued, "but Willow and the gang did some kind of mojo and brought me back, brought me back to you and the Bit"

Buffy reached out her hand to touch his face and ran her fingers down his cheek.

"You're a dream" she said sadly, withdrawing her hand.

"No pet, really, I'm here" he argued, grabbing the hand she tried to take away, "I'm here and I love you"

"Always remember - I love you" she echoed his words to him and he smiled.

"How can I make you believe I'm real?" he wondered aloud, "Because I am, luv, I promise you, I'm as real as you are, more than I was even" he grinned, "I'm back and...I'm alive, not undead, but human like you"

Buffy pulled herself up, a puzzled expression on her features as she stared at him. He wasn't sure whether he should speak or stay silent as she took her hand from within his and touched his face once more. She ran her hand down to his chest and felt his heart beat beneath her palm. If it was a dream it was very different to any she'd ever had, and usually the dreams did not last this long, he would have disappeared by now...

"You're really here?" she dared to ask, praying it wasn't an illusion, that he really had come back to her.

"I'm really here" he assured her.

Her smile lit up the room it was so bright as she flung herself into his arms. He was surprised but pleasantly so by her reaction. All he'd ever wanted was her love and affection and even if she wasn't in love with him it was clear she cared a lot. She hugged him so tight that he couldn't get the oxygen that he vitally needed now, but he didn't care. He hugged her back almost as tightly and they stayed that way for some time, sitting on Buffy's bedroom floor clasped together like they'd never let go.

Eventually, Buffy pulled way just enough to see his face, to look into his eyes, her arm still firmly around him and his around her.

"I can't believe you're here" she smiled as joyful tears streaked down her cheeks "I thought I'd lost you and you never knew..." she trailed off, glanced away and glanced back at him "it took so long for me to know, and when I did it was too late...you never knew..." she began to sob, partly from the joy of having him back and partly from some kind of strange relief that her pain was over.

"I never knew what?" Spike asked her softly, placing a finger under her chin and lifting her head so he could see her face again "I don't understand"

Buffy took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

"The day, on the tower, when I lost you" she began "I realised something, something that scared me but that I knew was true. Before you jumped you said to me..."

"Always remember - I love you" he interrupted "isn't that what I said?" he smiled and she nodded and smiled a little herself.

"Yes, and I never forgot, I would never have forgotten, however long you'd been gone" she assured him "because I realised for the first time when you said that" she told him, her hazel orbs meeting his crystal blue ones "that I felt it too"

If Spike was shocked by those words, he was doubly surprised when the girl in his arms leaned forward and gentle placed her lips on his, a soft, chaste kiss, but it meant so much.

"You don't know what that means to me" he told her in a voice so hushed and quiet he couldn't believe it was himself speaking.

"I do" she nodded "I loved you and I lost you at the very same moment, to have you back here now, something I never thought possible, I do know what it means to you. I'm only sorry I never realised before, never realised that...I love you"

She smiled when as she said those three words that she knew would mean the world to him, it meant equally as much to her to have the chance to say them to him. His own smile was just as wide as hers as he could tell she meant what she was saying whole-heartedly, and it was all he'd ever wanted.

"I love you too" he said in that strange whispered tone, as he leaned forward to kiss her, a kiss that started as the other one had but soon escalated with much more passion, but more importantly, with love.

A need of oxygen on both sides caused the embrace to end too quickly for their liking but they were smiling none the less as they parted.

"I could stay here in your arms forever" Buffy sighed, turning around and leaning back against him. They were stretched out on the floor of her bedroom now, him behind her, the back of her head leaning on his chest as she felt the incredible beat of his heart there. His arms encircled her and her hands lay on top of his across her waist.

"I would love to keep you forever here, pet" Spike told her honestly, "but your friends are very worried about you"

"They're your friends too" she reminded him, tipping her head back to look at him, all be it upside down. He wasn't sure what to say to that. He did care for them all for the Nibblet and the Wiccas, the Watcher and the Ex-Demon, even the Whelp if the truth be told, he wouldn't have let anything happen to them, but his friends? He hadn't had friends before, did bringing him back from the dead make them his friends?

"We should go down and see them" he said sensibly, knowing they were all worried about their Slayer friend. He felt her head nod beneath his chin and she turned as she got up to a sitting position.

"You'll never leave me again, will you?" she asked, completely serious now.

"Not if I can help it, luv" he assured her, kissing her one more time before they both got to their feet. They both felt weak still, but seemed to gain strength just from being together. They held on tight to each others hands as they left the room.

Downstairs, the Scoobies sat in the living room, exhausted and confused but happy.

"They're very quiet" Willow said suddenly, "Do you think they're okay?"

"Buffy wanted Spike back and she's got him" Xander pointed out, "It can only be good, right?"

"Should I go and check?" Dawn offered, eager to know what was happening between her two favourite people.

"Maybe they're having sex" Anya suggested and Xander looked embarrassed.

"Anya, please, it's not always about...that" Giles told her in a tone that was perhaps a little too harsh.

"Sorry" the ex-demon mumbled.

"I still don't understand how we brought Spike back as a human" Xander thought aloud, "I mean is he completely human or still part demon? Does he have a soul? Is he still a fan of the violence or is he back to being a good human being?"

"Xander" Willow turned to him, "Too many questions, and we can't answer any of them right now. We'll have to check him over later and also check the spell, see what went wrong"

"I don't think you can call it 'wrong'" Tara pointed out, "I mean, it was supposed to bring Spike back, and it did"

"So it wasn't wrong, it was just...different" Dawn shrugged, "It doesn't matter, does it?"

"No, I guess not" Willow smiled, but she had a feeling it did matter. There were so many unanswered questions and some she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answers to. If the spell had changed Spike from vampire to man, what else had to done to him? Like Xander had asked, did he have a soul now and what would it do to him if he had? Did he remember everything about his life, from human to demon and back again? If he was completely human now, was he a healthy human being or did he have an expiration date that would come all to soon?

The witch was brought out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder - Tara. The blonde Wicca pointed toward the stairs and all the Scoobies watched as the ex-vampire and the Chosen one descended, hand in hand.

It was rare in the last few weeks for Buffy to venture out of her room, nevermind down the stairs, but stranger than that was the smile on her face. No one had seen her smile since the day on the tower, not once, and yet here she was now as happy as they had ever seen her, even before that dreadful day.

Beside her, Spike smiled just as widely. They looked to be two of the happiest people who ever existed and the only hope in all their minds was that that happiness might last...

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Thankyou

A/N : Okay, I've finally got around to updating this story! This is quite a short chapter but the next one should be much longer. Also I plan to update 'The Guy Next Door' very soon too, probably tomorrow, and I'm working on a songfic too, but that might not work out...I think I've rambled long enough so I'll shut up now...oh, just a quick thankyou to all the nice people who have reviewed this fic so far and all my other fics too. It's so nice to be welcomed into the world of BtVS fanfic! : )

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 7

"Guys" Buffy said slowly, "Thankyou" 

It was such a small word for all she wanted to say. All this emotion she had inside, all the thoughts that spun in her head and all the joy and love in her heart - but all she could do was say 'thankyou' to those friends that had made her happiness possible, by bringing her Spike back to her.

Tears slipped down her face, tears of happiness of course, and it was not long before similar tears fell down the cheeks of Willow, Tara and Dawn. No-one really knew what to say and so Spike echoed what Buffy had said.

"Yeah, thankyou for bringing me back to her" he said quietly, glancing over at Buffy, "I was lost without her"

"I know what you mean" she smiled, as more tears crept down her cheeks. Spike gently brought his hand to her face and wiped away the droplets that were gathering.

Dawn couldn't bare to stand there any longer just watching. She was so happy to have Spike back and over-joyed to see Buffy looking more like herself, she ran across the room and flung herself at both of them. She cried as they formed a three way hug which soon grew as Willow and Tara joined in. Giles, Xander and Anya stayed back for a moment as the others sobbed and held each other.

"Thankyou so much" Buffy repeated to the two witches as the large group hug split apart at last.

"You're so welcome" Willow told her "but it wasn't just us"

"Dawn helped and so did Xander and Anya" Tara explained, "We kind of didn't tell Giles til afterwards..." she looked down and felt half ashamed and half embarrassed.

"Don't worry about that now, Tara" the Watcher told her kindly, "Let's just thank our lucky stars that it worked"

"Better than it should've" Spike smiled, "I mean, I'm back in the real land of the living now, with you lot to thank for it"

"Does that mean we're supposed to hug you too?" Anya asked, wondering what the correct thing was to do when you had helped your vampire acquaintance to be recently resurrected as a human being.

"Yeah, I s'pose so" the ex-vamp smiled stepping toward the ex-demon and hugging her briefly. She smiled widely as they broke apart, feeling happy she'd down the correct thing.

"Your turn Xander" she said, shoving him forward and the brunette looked daggers at her. He was glad Spike was back for Buffy's sake and he had to admit he respected him for saving the world and everything the way he had but did he really want to hug him?

"What do you say Xan?" Spike asked and Xander was shocked to hear his real name, albeit an abbreviated form, "New life for me, new start for us?" he suggested.

It made sense, Xander thought. Spike wasn't a vampire anymore, no longer undead or evil or bad, plus he probably had a soul now and Buffy did love him...

"Why not" he shrugged, sticking out his hand which Spike took and shook it before pulling the bemused man forward and hugging him.

"I think there might be something wrong with my glasses" Giles mumbled as he cleaned them and everyone smiled knowing what he meant. The sight before them was a strange one.

"Don't start, Watcher" Spike threatened but with a smile on his face as he released Xander, "You're next"

"Thankyou Spike, but that really won't be necessary" he took a step back, "I had nothing to do with your, erm, resurrection"

The bleach blond almost looked offended but he just nodded and went back to Buffy's side, taking her hand in his again. She seemed to notice for the first time that he wasn't perhaps as clean as he might be.

"Spike, you're covered in dirt" she said without thinking about the possible reason for it. He glanced down to see trademark black T-shirt and jeans covered in dust and dried mud and suddenly the memories of digging from his grave came back to him. He closed his eyes and shuddered violently at the thoughts then curiously looked at his hands, the one holding Buffy's and then the other.

"My hands" he said almost to himself and Willow knew what he meant.

"I fixed them" she told him, "Cleaned them up with a spell whilst you were sleeping"

"Thanks" he nodded.

"What happened to your hands?" Buffy didn't understand.

"Can we sleep on it, luv, and talk about it in the morning?" he suggested, he didn't know if he had the strength to go over it all right now, besides he knew there would be plenty the Scoobies wanted to tell him as well as ask him and he needed to rest and get used to his new body before that.

"Sure" Buffy smiled and nodded, and Giles checked his watch.

"Oh goodness, yes, look at the time" he said, "We really should be going"

Soon he had gone along with Xander and Anya, who all promised to come back the next afternoon. Tara and Willow went up to their room, what used to be Joyce's, and Dawn went to hers after giving Spike a final hug. 

"I'll crash out on the sofa" Spike told Buffy but she shook her head.

"No, you're coming with me" she smiled, leading up the stairs by the hand. They only got two steps up when he stopped her.

"Buffy, I don't think we should..." he started and she knew what he meant.

"We're not going to" she told him, "I just want you with me" tears came to her eyes as she looked down at him, "I just want your arms around me, I can't be away from you not again"

"You don't have to be" he said gently, his own tears starting to form. He pulled her into his arms and dropped a kiss on the top of her head as she hugged him back.

"I love you so much" she told him.

"And I love you too" he said, pulling back a little to look into her eyes, "I always have and I always will"

She smiled, moving to take hold of his hand again and leading him up to her bedroom, where they slept peacefully in each others arms.

_To Be Continued_


	8. Among Friends

A/N : Lost sight of where I was going to go with this for a while but I'm right back on track now. Thanx for the reviews and to SinisterChic Heather Martin - that would have been a great idea but it's not where I want this story to go, I have other ideas, thanks anyway. Okay, so on with the story and keep those nice reviews coming please, I love to write anyway, but the nice comments encourage me to write even more often.

(For disclaimer, etc - seee chapter 1)

Chapter 8

"Mornin' pet" Spike smiled as Buffy's eyes opened. He'd woken just a few minutes earlier and had not wanted to go back to sleep. He laid on his side, propped up on one elbow just watching his lady dream.

"You're still here" she whispered with a smile "I was so afraid it was all just another dream"

"I'm living a dream, luv" he told her, kissing her gently on the lips "Being here with you, knowing that you love me..."

"You didn't know before?" she interrupted, with a hint of a frown "You couldn't hear me?"

"Hear you?" the ex-vamp looked confused.

"In heaven" Buffy explained "I always thought the people could hear..." she trailed off when he turned to lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, his smile completely gone.

"What's the matter?" she asked pulling herself up a little.

He was silent for a moment before glancing over at her and seeing he had clearly worried her. He had not wanted to do that.

"Nothing, pet" he half-lied, turning back to kiss her again, but their embrace was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Sounds like we slept late" Buffy sighed, glancing at the clock and realising it was in fact ten thirty already. 'Good job it's Saturday or Dawnie would be seriously late for school' she thought as she felt the bed move and Spike got out.

"I'll get the door" he told her, pulling on his jeans and T-shirt "you get dressed at your own speed" he smiled, placing a final kiss on her forehead and exiting the room. 

Spike actually felt more than a little uncomfortable, climbing into the clothes he'd been buried in. He'd had a shower before going to bed the night before, but his clothes were still muddy and a little worse for wear, still he had nothing else to wear and he didn't want to make a big deal out of it right now.

"Hey Spike" Willow grinned, coming out of her room just as he came out of Buffy's.

"Mornin' Red" he smiled back "I was just gonna get the door"

"Oh, I'll get it" she offered "Tara's just getting dressed and I checked on Dawnie, she's up too" she took a step towards the stairs and Spike followed.

"Then I guess I'll make breakfast"

"You don't have to do that" she told him, turning back.

"I want to" he assured her "I gotta thank the gang somehow, I think I'll be thanking you all my life" he swallowed hard as he glanced back at the door he'd just closed "for bringing me back to her..."

"One more word and you're gonna have me crying again" the witch beside him interrupted, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Sorry, Willow" Spike half-smiled, knowing he was on the verge of making himself cry too.

"It's okay" she shrugged as they turned toward the stairs again, but still they didn't make it down as she turned back again "Hey did you just call me Willow?"

"It's your name, right?" the new human asked, realising why she'd mentioned it.

"Yeah, but I don't think I've heard you use it" the red-head admitted and Spike smiled.

"Well, make the most of it" he passed by her to go down the stairs "you might not hear it again, Red"

Willow grinned as she followed him down the flight of steps, catching hold of his arm at the bottom.

"Spike?"

"Yeah" he turned back, slightly startled by the witches hand on his arm. He was even further surprised when she turned him completely around and pulled him into a hug.

"What was that for?" he wondered aloud as she started to walk away toward the front door.

"I've wanted to hug you so many times" she admitted softly, "but I was kinda scared...well, you can't bite me now so..." she felt weird saying it and a further knock on the door meant she didn't have to say anymore "I really better answer that" she smiled and disappeared as Spike headed for the kitchen, a similar smile on his own face. He thought maybe this time, he wouldn't mind so much being a human, because this time it seemed he had friends.

Dawn yawned loudly as she stumbled down the stairs and made for the kitchen. As she came through the door, Spike turned to look at her from his position by the stove.

"Breakfast, Sweet Bit?" he smiled and the young Summers looked surprised.

"Hey Spike, I can do that, you should get some rest..." she said, coming up behind him.

"I think I got plenty of rest, luv" he told her and she knew what he meant "making the most of not having to now, y'know"

"Good point" she nodded, before daring to wrap her arms around him from behind and squeeze tight "it's so great to have you back"

"Steady on Dawnie" he complained as the frying pan in his hand slipped and he almost dropped it. Truth was it was strange that people seemed to want to hug him all of a sudden, but it was unsettling in a nice way, he had to admit that.

"You made pancakes?" Dawn asked, peering around his shoulder.

"Yeah" he answered, tipping the food onto a plate "Feels weird to want to eat this stuff after such a long time just craving, well, y'know" 

"Yeah, the blood" she nodded in understanding before pulling up a stool by the counter "Hey, we can go to the park later, you can get a real California tan now" she realised with excitement as Spike continued making breakfast.

"Guess I can" the ex-vamp nodded, glancing round at her.

"Or we can go to the beach" Dawn suggested "oh and now you can go out in the day there's the mall and you don't have to wear black, we can get you some new clothes, and no more worries about stakes and stuff..."

"Hey Dawnie" Buffy interrupted from the kitchen door "slow down. This is all a big adjustment for Spike" she said as she walked over to the two.

"Sorry" the younger girl looked at first Spike then Buffy "guess I got over-excited"

"That's alright, Nibblet" Spike assured her "Gotta say I'm a bit excited myself, bit confused too though about how it happened" he admitted as Buffy gave him a peck on the cheek and stole some of Dawn's breakfast from her plate.

"Well, we can talk about that now" she told him "now that everyone is here"

"Guess so. Here Bit, you take your pancakes and the coffee through to the gang, we'll be right behind you" he said turning to Dawn and handing her a tray with cups of coffee on it and putting her breakfast on it too.

As the younger Summers girl disappeared into the living room, Spike dropped the pan and utensils into the sink to be washed and sighed.

"You okay, Spike?" Buffy asked standing behind him.

"Yeah pet, I'm fine" he said, turning to lean on the counter and face her "all this it's...just gonna take some getting used to, like you said" he told her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I'll help" she promised, going into his arms and hugging him "we all will"

"You all already have" he told her as he hugged her back "Them brining me back to you and you loving me..." he pulled back to see her face "Buffy, I..."

"Hey, I thought you were right behind me?" Dawn interrupted and Spike sighed.

"Coming Bit" he told her, taking Buffy by the hand and walking into the living room where the Scoobies were waiting.

"Mornin all" he greeted. Giles, Anya and Xander were on the sofa with Willow and Tara in one of the arm chairs and Dawn just moving out of the other to sit on the floor and let her sister sit there.

"Good morning Spike" Giles answered for everyone as the bleached blond perched on the arm of the chair beside Buffy "Er, how are you feeling?"

"Still human if that's what you mean Watcher" he smiled "Any ideas how it happened yet?"

"Not entirely no..." Giles admitted, cleaning his glasses.

"Maybe if you told us what happened where you were?" Anya suggested, but the others realised there was a chance he wasn't somewhere pleasant, he had been a demon after all.

"Maybe he can't remember, or he doesn't know..." said Tara, quickly. 

"I do know" Spike said, looking at his hands and not the people he was talking to.

"Were you in heaven?" Dawn wanted to know.

"Dawn..." Buffy's voice had a warning tone. After she had mentioned Heaven earlier, Spike had gone very quiet and strange, she guessed that was not where he'd been.

"It's okay" Spike told Buffy before turning to Dawn "No Bit, I don't reckon I was, knew the chances of that were slim"

"You weren't in...?" Dawn didn't even wasn't to say the word, but if he hadn't gone up to heaven surely there was only one other way to go.

"Hell?" Spike knew precisely what she meant "No, I didn't go that far south either..." 

To Be Continued...


	9. Between Heaven And Hell

A/N : Thanx for all the reviews on this story so far - you guys are the best. Finally you will all find out where Spike has been...and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 9

"Hell? No, didn't go that far south either..." Spike took a deep breath and started to explain as best as he could, mostly looking down at his hands instead of at his audience "It was like, like I was in this maze and it was huge and there was no way to know where to go next, I was...lost, confused and...alone. It was like I knew there was a way out but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get to it. It was like it was all a temporary distraction and one day I was going to get out but then I wasn't sure if I wanted to because I didn't know where outside would be..." he trailed off for a moment and Tara spoke kindly.

"It's okay, Spike, you don't have to tell us, I mean if it's too hard for you"

"S'alright Glinda" he shot her half a smile as he composed himself and continued his story. 

"I was wandering around and suddenly there was this light and I thought 'this is it, I'm getting out' and I'm not ashamed to say it scared the living crap out of me, so to speak, cos I didn't know where I was gonna end up. Then the light faded and there was a woman...I couldn't figure out who she was but she was so familiar to me, like I'd known her all my existence and I knew I was safe with her there, I was just sure I was gonna be okay. She spoke to me..."

_"William, your time has come"_

"My time? I don't understand, where am I?"

"That's not important...you have been chosen, William"

"Chosen for what?"

"Do not be afraid"

"I'm not afraid"

"You can't hide your feelings here, William, we know everything about you, everything you think and feel, your entire existence is our knowledge"

"Then you know that I'm confused"

"Yes, I do know, but it will all become clear. There are those that love you, those down beneath us who care, who want and need you. You were brave and sacrificed yourself for them, and so we grant you this favour. You have been chosen"

"Yes, you said that...Where am I going?"

"Where you belong, William, where you belong"

"She started walking and I followed her. I found myself on the edge of the maze, about to step out into...I didn't know what. I turned back and the woman was gone. I heard voices, saw colours and lights, indistinguishable as anything real and then one final step and...I was falling...next thing I know I was...waking up in a coffin for the second time and..." Spike's voice cracked and tears threatened to fall from his eyes. Buffy put her arm around him and rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"It's okay" she assured him and he managed a smile. A moments silence and a deep breath and he was okay again. He glanced up and looked around the room at his audience.

"What? No jokes about the tears, Whelp?" he asked Xander, who shrugged a response.

"Figured you'd been through enough, Spike" he told him and a small smile passed between the men which everyone was pleased to see

"So it wasn't our spell that brought you back?" Tara spoke up, looking first at Spike then Willow who sat beside her.

"You were chosen to come back anyway" Willow continued "with the added bonuses of heartbeat and oxygen-usage?"

"No" Spike shook his head "no, I reckon I was chosen *because* of the spell and maybe because...of what I did..." he was determined not to start blubbing like a baby again in front of all the Scoobies.

"Indeed" Giles started "By performing this spell, you five proved that Spike was needed here and with his end being sacrificial, it showed he had the capacity for good despite being a demon"

"Thanks for the text book explanation, Watcher" Spike rolled his eyes, could the man be any more of a walking reference book if he tried?

"So the spell didn't go wrong?" Anya made sure she was keeping up.

"No, looks like I'm just special" Spike smiled "first time for everything I s'pose" he added more quietly.

"I always knew you were special, Spike" Dawn gave a wide smile as she spoke. She had always been the one who appreciated Spike when no one else had.

"Thanks, Little Bit" he smiled back, ruffling her hair. It made everyone else feel somewhat uncomfortable knowing that they had never appreciated him the way they should have before. They would make up for that now he was back.

"So, I guess we should fill you in on what's been happening around here since you...were gone..." Willow piped up, and that's exactly what they did. Hours passed as the Scoobies recounted demons they had fought and vamps they had staked, which was as much news for Buffy as it was Spike since she'd really been in a world of her own while he'd been gone.

The sun started to set and it was Tara who noticed first.

"It's getting dark, shouldn't we patrol?" she suggested.

"Good idea" Buffy nodded "I'll go get ready" she added, standing up.

"Buffy are you sure you're up to this?" Willow asked worriedly "I mean, you haven't patrolled in a while and you're still not up to your best"

"It's okay, Will, I'm fine" she assured the witch "I can do anything now, with Spike here" she smiled at the man beside her and he smiled back before speaking.

"I don't know that I'm gonna be much use to you now, luv. Just a regular human now, not the Big Bad Slayer-Side-kick that I once was"

"Hey, there's a lot to be said for us regular human guys" Xander stood up to as he defended his kind.

"Oh yes, I find human males are very good at..." Anya started but Giles interrupted.

"Anya, please I beg of you don't finish that sentence" he took of his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt.

"We're good at stuff besides that Ahn" Xander informed her and she looked a little hurt, since she was trying to help him look good.

"Oh God, it's a tragedy" Spike complained and everyone looked over at him worriedly.

"What? What's the matter?" Buffy wanted to know.

"Human bloke now" he pointed to himself "I've got something in common with the Whelp!" he gestured at Xander with a look of fake disgust. He really didn't hate the guy as much as he pretended too.

"Hey, y'know you can't call me that anymore" the brunette protested.

"Why not?" asked Spike getting to his feet and everyone else followed suit, slightly worried about a fight that might ensue.

"Because..." Xander considered before explaining "all my best insulting names for you were evil, vamp and demon related - no longer applicable"

Spike just grinned.

"Your problem, not mine...Xander"

Buffy smiled to herself. They were still going to wind each other up at every opportunity but it was almost like these two had an understanding now, there was no malice in there words and evil-ish looks, it was just a game.

"Back to the topic at hand - patrolling" Willow reminded them at last.

"Yes" Buffy nodded once "and I'm gonna need all of you, at least until I get back to full power"

"All of us?" Dawn looked hopeful. 

"Oh Dawnie...maybe..." Buffy started, she was about to ask someone to stay behind with her little sister when Xander spoke up.

"Hey, Buffy, y'know maybe you could let her come. She came with when you were...sick...and she did fine"

"Yeah, lil sis is pretty tough these days" Spike agreed, putting an arm around his Little Bit "Pulled a move on me last night, for a minute there I thought she was the Slayer herself"

Dawn smiled proudly and Buffy relented.

"Okay, you can come" she agreed "but you be careful and don't wander off alone"

"Understood" Dawn nodded, before ducking out from under Spikes arm and heading for the stairs to go and change.

"Okay, I have to go change too..." Buffy went to follow her sister when Xander produced a bag.

"Oh yeah, brought these for you Mr Not-So-Dead guy" he said, tossing the bag to Spike who still wore the same black jeans and T-shirt that he had as a vamp. The bleach blond unzipped the bag and looked inside at a couple of Xander's least hideous shirts and trousers.

"Great, first day as a human and I get to look like a ponce" Spike muttered and the brunette started to protest.

"Xander, I'm kidding" he assured him, before adding "sort of" as he disappeared up the stairs behind the Summers women.

He lightly tapped on Buffy's door and she let him in, now dressed in dark blue pants and a lighter blue top, she turned to the mirror to fix her hair. Of course that had the added advantage of being able to watch Spike change his clothes whilst appearing to have her back to him - something that would have been impossible when Spike was still a vampire, of course.

She watched as he pulled on the clean trousers and then began to button the clean shirt. He sat down on the bed facing the window looking out into the night without a word. As Buffy pulled her ponytail tighter she walked over and sat down beside him.

"You okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine" he answered without looking at her, eyes fixed looking out through the window.

"Y'know, you don't have to come" she told him, putting a hand on his knee. He turned to look at her finally.

"Buffy, I didn't come back here to sit back and watch you fight the fight" he put his hand on top if hers "I love you and I'm gonna do everything I can for you. Whatever mess we get in, we get in it together, okay?"

She smiled as she turned her hand to hold his.

"Okay" she conceded "Just be careful, Mr Human Guy"

"I will if you will, Miss Slayer Lady" he countered, leaning over to kiss her. They didn't hear the tap on the door or see it open to reveal the entire Scooby gang, complete with weapons, who were being kept waiting.

"Hey guys, slayage first, that later" Xander told them, as Buffy ducked her head in embarrassment and Spike just grinned.

"Oh, I think it's sweet" Dawn smiled as her sister and one of her best friends walked hand in hand out of the bedroom.

"Yes well, could we, er... 'make with the slayage' as you are so fond of saying" Giles suggested as everyone filtered down the stairs "I'd rather like to get some sleep at some point tonight"

"Yes" Buffy nodded "let's go"

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To Be Continued...

A/N 2 : I'll probably update 'The Guy Next Door' next and then this one. I am trying to alternate my updates so that everyone is happy. (Please review if you liked this! Or even if you don't like it - just no flames please)


	10. Under The Weather

A/N : Thanx to everyone who left reviews for chapter 9 - all your comments are appreciated. Glad people are still reading and enjoying and reviewing! Here's a new chapter for you all!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

"Really guys, I am so sorry" Willow apologised for the fiftieth time that night as the Scooby gang returned home from their patrol. Xander, Anya and Giles had gone to their respective homes and the two Wiccas, Dawn, Buffy and Spike had returned to the Summers house, everyone soaked from head to foot. 

"It's okay Will" Buffy assured her friend with a smile, despite the fact she felt like wringing her neck right now, "You didn't mean to do it"

Willow had had a super idea of creating a ball of sunlight using a new spell she'd learnt over the summer. She planned to extinguish vamps with it, and it had worked, but unfortunately the counteraction had caused a rainstorm - a big one. The thunder and lightening were a mere annoyance but the rain came down hard and fast and soaked through every piece of clothing that every Scooby wore.

The slaying before the storm had gone fairly well and Buffy had slayed two vamps by herself, not bad considering the time she had spent with neither practice nor training, but she felt very weak and more tired now than she had in a while. Dawn had been spectacular as the gang had said she was, staking a couple of vampires and using some impressive moves that surprised even her sister.

Spike, despite his new human status and his 'ordeal' (namely dying and being resurrected) managed to put an end to a demon too and he was very proud to drive the stake home right in front of everyone.

"Aachoo" Dawn sneezed as the five made their way upstairs.

"Dawnie, hurry up and get out of those clothes and get dried off" Buffy told her sister, "Last thing I want is for you to get pnuemonia"

"I'm fine" the girl sniffed, "Goodnight" she added as she disappeared into her room.

Willow and Tara stopped outside their room and turned to Buffy and Spike.

"It was great having you two out with the gang, slaying again" Willow smiled.

"Yeah, it wasn't the same without you" Tara added, also smiling.

"Thanks guys" said Buffy, before quickly saying goodnight and going into her room, Spike right behind her. She slumped down onto the end of her bed and sighed.

"You alright Buffy?" a worried Spike asked her, "You look pale"

"I'm fine" she smiled, fakely. She didn't feel good at all. She felt tired and weak and generally non-Slayer-ish, but she figured it was just all the time she'd spent indoors, crying and not eating so much. She was out of practice, that was all.

All five members of the house were glad to get out of their wet clothes and get dried off and warm again. They fell asleep, glad of rest after a trying day, hoping things were going to gain some normality from now on...or at least whatever passed for normality in a place like Sunnydale.

* * * * *

Early hours of the morning, and the silence in the Summers house was broken by a stifled scream. Buffy's eyes shot open as she felt the bed moving violently. Spike was having a nightmare or at least that was what she assumed was happening.

"Spike, wake up" she told him, trying to wake him, "Come on, it's just a dream, wake up"

As she shook him out of his seemingly frightening dream she realised his skin was hot to her touch. Not just the regular body heat of a human being but a high fever.

"Spike, please wake up" she shook him harder and it seemed to work as his eyes shot open and he gasped.

"Buffy" he choked out her name and she reached to turn on the light beside her bed.

"Yeah, I'm here" she told him, stroking his hair back from his face, "I'm here and you're safe, you were just dreaming"

Spike breathed erratically as he tried to calm down but found it almost impossible. He felt hot, too hot, even hotter than he had before and he felt a strange sensation in his stomach, it had been a while but he was pretty sure he was going to be sick. Throwing the covers of the bed off of his body he flew to the bathroom and made it just in time as any food he might have consumed during the day put in a second appearance in reverse order.

Buffy followed behind him and finding him bent over the toilet heaving, she knelt beside him and rubbed his back soothingly. The noise and general commotion had prompted a worried Dawn, Willow and Tara to arrive on the scene, each with some kind of weapon in case of demon type danger.

"What's going on?" Willow asked worriedly and Buffy turned to her friends.

"I don't know" she admitted, "Spike was having a nightmare and he's got a fever. Now he just keeps throwing up"

Willow and Tara shared a panicked expression. There was no way of knowing what was happening, but it was likely a side effect of the spell and bringing Spike back from the dead.

The ex-vamp slumped down on the bathroom floor, clearly exhausted, and with nothing left to bring up. Buffy put her arms around him and was worried by how warm he still felt. He shook involuntarily and shivered as if cold, despite his high temperature.

"What happened honey?" the blonde girl asked him gently and Spike shook his head.

"I don't know" he coughed as he tried to speak, before swallowing hard, "I had a dream, I think and then I just felt ill, I..." he trailed off, breathing quickly and shuddering some more.

"Will, what's wrong with him?" Buffy asked her best friend, panic in her eyes. She was so scared of losing this man again, so soon after getting him back.

"I don't know" the red-head looked close to tears as she answered. She felt so guilty. It was possible that all this was because her spell went wrong, if anything fatal occurred she didn't know how Buffy would cope with it and it would all be her fault.

Buffy glanced back down as Spike whose head was against her chest as she held him close. His breathing had settled a little and he shook less, he appeared to be sleeping now. Sweat lined his brow and he looked deathly pale, which worried Buffy a lot, she wasn't sure he'd even looked this pale when he was a vampire.

"I should get him back to bed" she said half to herself and half to the others.

"I'll help" Dawn offered, stepping forward and the two Summers girls carried the very ill looking man back to Buffy's bedroom. 

Willow and Tara put the stakes they had in their hands back in their room and Willow tidied the bathroom before they went into their friends room.

"Buffy, I'm scared" Dawn whimpered as she knelt with her older sister by the bed where Spike lay.

"He'll be okay" Buffy told her, not at all convinced herself. 

"He's been through much worse" Tara pointed out as they came into the room, that at least was perfectly true.

"What should we do for him?" the blonde by the bed asked, not taking her eyes off of her true love, "I mean, what's wrong with him and can we fix it? Is it the spell or a demon, it could be a demon or another spell or..." she broke down in tears, grabbing at Spike's hand and holding tight. She loved him so much and he'd just been returned to her she couldn't lose him again.

"I honestly don't know Buffy" Willow tried not to cry but a few stray tears escaped. Tara put an arm around her girlfriend and looked over at the Summer's sisters.

"Should we call Giles? He might know what to do?"

Dawn nodded that she thought that was a good idea and the blonde Wicca went to do exactly that. As she reached the phone, she picked up the receiver and speed-dialled the Watchers number. As she waited for Giles to answer, she said a silent prayer; 'Please God let him live'. She knew Buffy couldn't live with the pain of losing Spike twice.

"Hello?" she heard the English accent of the man she'd called for answer the phone.

"Giles, it's Tara. Please come now, it's Spike..."

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To Be Continued...


	11. Crying

A/N : This isn't exactly a happy chapter, but then I guess that's obvious from the chapter title, so I guess I shouldn't say I hope you 'enjoy' this. Please review and tell me what you think anyway. Thanx for all the reviews so far.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 11 - Crying

Buffy sat in the kitchen of her house, Dawn to her left and Tara to her right, while Willow made hot drinks for everyone. It had taken the strength and convincing of all three of her friends to get Buffy to leave Spike's side, but it was necessary when Giles arrived. The Watcher brought with him all he needed to give the ex-vampire a basic medical check. Being a Watcher meant the man had some knowledge of basic injuries and illness as well as some demon-related and magical ones. Because of this, the girls had decided he was the best person to call. An ordinary doctor would have required explanations they couldn't give and there was no way of knowing if Spike's illness was natural or supernatural.

"Here" Willow tried to smile as she placed the mug of steaming hot chocolate in front of her friend, unknowingly making Buffy feel worse and causing her to cry even harder. Hot chocolate reminded Buffy of her mother and of Spike, both of whom she had lost, one of which she'd been lucky enough to get back, but who knew how long he was back for? Was fate really so cruel and against her that it would take him away again so soon after his return?

"He's gonna be okay Buffy" Dawn assured her sister, although she didn't know if that were true, "He has to be okay"

"He's a strong man" Tara told them both, "I'm sure he'll be fine"

"Er, Buffy" Giles stammered as he entered the kitchen.

"What is it, Giles?" Buffy asked, immediately jumping from her seat, shaking with fear, nerves and worry.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure" the Watcher admitted, "It seems to be some sort of pneumonia related virus..."

"So it's a human thing" Dawn guessed, "and not a demon-y, magic-y thing"

"It really is very hard to tell" Giles admitted as he cleaned his glasses, "He has all the symptoms, as I say, of a pneumonia virus but given what he has been through, well, it could be something entirely different"

"Just tell me" Buffy choked out, "is he going to die?"

Giles glanced at the shaking girl before him and then at her sister and two friends beyond.

"No, I wouldn't have thought so" he half-lied, truth be told he had no idea if the new young man would see tomorrow or live forever, it was all beyond him, but he just couldn't break Buffy's heart by telling her that.

"I'm gonna go see him" Buffy smiled gratefully at the news she received, and pausing only briefly to hug Giles, she ran for the stairs.

"Truth time" Willow said when she was sure Buffy was out of hearing range, "you really that sure he'll be okay?"

The man shook his head sadly, taking a seat at the counter with Tara and Dawn.

"Honestly" he sighed, "I have no idea at all, but...I just couldn't...I didn't want to..."

"Couldn't bear to break her heart again?" Tara guessed.

"Yes, exactly" Giles admitted, cleaning his glasses yet again.

"So, he could die?" Dawn whimpered as more tears spilled down her cheeks. The three older people in the room knew the answer was yes but how do you tell a fifteen year old that the man she saw as a brother, her saviour, her friend, could possibly be dead this time tomorrow?

The phone rang into life and the three adults were quite literally saved by the bell. Willow moved to answer it and was surprised to hear Xander's voice.

"Hey Will, what's the problem?"

"Xander?" she checked and Giles appeared by her side.

"I called him just before I came here" the man explained, "Thought we might need every able bodied researcher at the ready, but I had to leave a message on the answering machine, I told him to telephone here since this was where I was coming to"

"Oh, right" Willow nodded, before turning her attention back to the phone "Xan, I'm gonna pass you over to Giles" 

The Watcher explained everything and asked Xander, and Anya, to come to the Summers house as soon as they could. If they could keep Buffy in the bedroom with Spike, which shouldn't be too hard since it was the only place she wanted to be, the rest of the Scoobies could do some research, maybe even some spells to work out exactly what was going on. 

With the plan soon explained to the two Wiccas and a tearful Dawn, the Scoobies, minus Buffy and Spike of course, gathered around the dining room table, ready for the research that they so often partook of, but this was like no other research session they'd ever had before. None had ever been quite so serious, with the possible exception of a few meetings before the gangs final confrontation with Glory when they knew they would not all live to see the battles end.

Spike's new life could be hanging in the balance and it was up to this little group of misfit people to find first what was wrong and second how to cure it - before it was too late.

* * * * *

Pain, heat, nausea, just three of the many things that hit Spike as he came into a more conscious state. He vaguely remembered a dream and then there was definitely a lot of throwing up and, beyond that the entire night was a blur to him. He tried to open his eyes and work out where he was but all his muscles, including those that operated his eyes, seemed to ache and complain at being asked to work.

He was laying on a soft surface, he assumed a bed, most probably the bed he'd been sleeping on before - Buffy's bed, but how he'd got back there from the bathroom he had no idea. He felt something move, near his right hand, around it in fact. It seemed someone was holding his hand, and as he concentrated he could hear a voice too, coming from the person that had a hold of his hand, he had no doubt.

"...and I know you're going to be okay" he heard the voice say, "because I'm not going to let you leave me again, you can't" then there were tears, he heard the sobs and then felt the dampness on his hand, knowing now that the person beside him was his Slayer, Buffy.

He hated to hear her cry, he realised it hurt almost as much to hear it as it had when he'd seen it before. He wanted to comfort her, tell her everything would be okay, but he felt so weak, he couldn't move at all, couldn't even find the energy to speak her name. He hoped his silent begging inside of his head for her to stop crying would be enough and he found it miraculous when her sobs subsided.

"I love you, Spike" he heard her say, "I don't know if you can hear anything I'm saying but I'm going to say it anyway just in case, I love you more than I ever thought I could love anybody and I'm gonna help you to get better, I promise"

That was all Spike ever wanted to hear and he knew that if whatever was happening to him got worse or ended him completely, he could at least die happily this time around. He didn't want to die, not so soon after re-gaining his mortality, but he had at least had the comfort of knowing that if he did, he would have the love of this woman to take with him to the grave and beyond.

__

To Be Continued...


	12. Energy

A/N : Hello readers! I have been busy and I've managed to get the next chapter of this story and my other story 'The Guy Next Door' written and ready for uploading. Thanx for all the reviews, they are all very much appreciated. Here's the next chapter. If you like it, please let me know!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 12 - Energy

****

"Okay, if this is stupid just say it" Xander suddenly broke the silent researching and all Scooby attention turned to him, "but isn't there some kind of identify type spell that can tell us what's up with Spike?"

"If it were that simple Xander then we would have already tried it" Giles snapped, perhaps a little too harshly, but they had spent a couple of hours now pouring over all kinds of books and to no avail, everyone was irritable and tired.

"No, wait" Willow interrupted, "We can't tell what illness or whatever he might have but we could locate any spells used on him since he came back"

"Oh yes" Anya nodded, "Tirer la couture - pull back the curtain"

"A spell to identify spells" Tara completed the explanation "At least then we'd know if the illness was magic-related, surely that would narrow down the research?"

"An excellent idea" Giles agreed, "It seems perhaps Xander you may have slightly more intelligence than we thought"

Xander grinned, glad to have helped but his smile soon fell as he remembered the seriousness of what they were dealing with.

"So, how does this 'curtain pulling' work?" he asked.

"Well, it is a spell that Buffy performed once before when her mother was ill" Giles remembered, "It involves someone going into a kind of trance and they are then able to see images that would show if a spell was being used"

"I can do it" Willow stood up "the trance, I mean, I've done stuff like this before"

"Are you sure, Will?" Xander looked worried, "I mean you used a lot of power lately what with bringing Spike back and all, you sure it's safe for you?"

"Maybe I should do it" Tara offered.

"Or I could" Anya piped up.

"Guys, what's going on?" Dawn asked a she came down the stairs. The gang had told her to go to bed and get some sleep since it was so late. The sun had now risen however and it was morning and the young teen really hadn't been able to sleep much anyway.

"Hey Dawnie, how'd you sleep?" Willow smiled to the girl, Dawn shook her head.

"Not so well, but I'm fine" she told them, coming to sit at the table, "Any luck with the research?"

"Just had a break through" Xander smiled, "We're gonna do a spell see if we can identify if another spell was used to make Spike sick"

Over the next couple of hours, the Scoobies ate breakfast, tided some of the books away and fetched incense, mystic sands and other items needed for the spell from the Magic Box. It was eventually decided that Tara would go into the trance as she had done similar spells before and she didn't want Willow over exerting herself.

Dawn had checked on Buffy and Spike twice during the morning. The first time they had both been asleep and the second when Buffy had been awake she hadn't said much. It seemed while Spike was getting no better he was getting no worse and that had to be taken as a positive sign. 

Xander, Anya, Willow and Giles took Dawn with them to continue their research at the Magic Box while Tara stayed at the house to do the spell. Buffy was still at Spike's side refusing to leave the mostly unconscious man and Tara thought it was for the best since they didn't really want to have to tell the distraught girl too much about what they were doing until they were sure about what they were dealing with.

The incense was lit and the sand was poured in the counter-clockwise circle as required. Tara took her position in the centre, in a lotus position and concentrated. It took some time, but the spell was soon cast and as the Wicca woman opened her eyes she saw the world differently, through a strange sort of haze, and yet it felt clearer than normal.

She carefully stood up and began to walk up the stairs towards Buffy's room. She would need to look at Spike and around him to see if any magic was affecting him. He had of course been resurrected by a spell but now he was back and alive the spell was over and should leave no signs behind that it was ever used. The only spells that would show were one's currently working.

Without knocking, Tara slowly opened the bedroom door and found as she knew she would, Spike lying on the bed, asleep and shivering slightly despite his fever. Buffy knelt beside the bed, also asleep and clutching the mans right hand in both of hers.

Tara blinked carefully as she walked around the room, looking at the two people within from all angles. A mist, she suddenly noticed, not over Spike but around Buffy. A strange and very pale green swirl of energy, emanating from around the girls head and chest. From this cloud of energy there appeared to be a thread weaving through the air and back out the door. It was very fine and Tara reasoned that this is why she had not seen it before.

The pale cloud and thread of energy from Buffy took her tranced attention away from Spike as she followed the strange cord from the room, down the stairs, out of the front door. She walked in an automated fashion, her focus on nothing but this ever stretching twine of glowing green energy. She walked, following the paths as the energy twisted and turned along, she opened a door that she came too, kept walking almost completely unaware of where she was or what she was doing and then she saw where the energy had led her, where this thread of green that cam from Buffy was going too.

"Dawn" she breathed as a she saw that same mist around the other Summers girl, but this time much darker, stronger and more powerful. The cloud seemed to pulse as if more and more energy were being slowly pumped in. No sooner had Tara said the girls name as she'd fainted.

* * * * *

"Tara, baby, wake up" Willow begged as her girlfriend came to in her arms.

"What happened?" the blonde tried to stand and put a hand to her head as she did so.

"You came in the door, looking all spaced out" Xander told her, "then you stopped looked at us and you were out"

"You said my name" Dawn added "you were looking at me funny and then you said my name just before you passed out"

"I did?" Tara frowned as Willow helped her into a seat, "I don't remember" she tried to concentrate and everything gradually came back to her - the spell, the mist, the thread, the mystical connection between the Summer sisters - but what did it all mean?

"I did the spell" she said, slowly, "and I couldn't see anything wrong with Spike" she wasn't sure she should mention what else she saw, at least not in front of Dawn. After all that had happened with Glory and now Spike, she didn't want to cause anymore pain and anguish for the child.

"So, it is clear that no kind of magic has caused his illness" Giles said more to himself than anyone else, "Which would suggest it is either a side effect of the resurrection or simply an ordinary human ailment"

"And that's good, right?" Anya guessed, "If it's just something human and not magic he'll just get better like humans do?"

"Well, hopefully, yes" Giles nodded, "Of course, not all human illnesses are curable but if I was right in my assumption of a pneumonia type virus, I think we stand a good chance of helping Spike to a successful recovery"

There were smiles all around at the news Spike might live to enjoy the humanity he'd recently been granted. 

Suddenly the phone rang and Anya moved to answer it.

"Hello, this is the Magic Box, Anya speaking, how may I be of service to you?"

"Anya, it's Buffy" a panicked voice came through the receiver, "I need you guys here fast, I think Spike's getting worse..."

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To Be Continued...

A/N2 : I am also updating 'The Guy Next Door' now, for those who are interested!


	13. Secrets

A/N : I've been writing as often as possible all week but I never got around to updating my fics, so here it is, I'm updating this fic, 'The Guy Next Door' and posting a short story I wrote too...how much Spuffy can you handle? ;)

Btw - thanx for all the reviews, they are very much appreciated!

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 13 - Secrets

"Giles!" Anya yelled, holding the phone out to him, "It's Buffy, she's freaking out about Spike, he's worse"

The worried Watcher hurried to take the phone from the ex-demon who moved to sit by Xander again. All five Scoobies, Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara and Dawn, looked on as Giles spoke to Buffy.

"Buffy, it's Giles, what's wrong?"

"Oh Giles, please, you have to come" came the girl's petrified voice "Spike's getting worse, hotter and he's shaking so much...he's scaring me Giles"

"Now, calm down Buffy" her Watcher told her, though he wasn't sure it would do any good "It's going to be alright. We've checked and as far as we know Spike has a human disease, nothing magical or demonic so we should be able to cure him"

"But what's wrong with him? Why is he getting worse?" Buffy started to sob.

"I don't know" Giles admitted, "Just try to keep him as calm and cool as possible, I'll send the others over to help and I'll try to get something to help, okay?"

"Okay" Buffy agreed, "I'm gonna go back to him now" she said quickly hanging up the phone and rushing back to her true loves side.

Spike thrashed around on the bed, semi-conscious and shivering despite a fever that felt ridiculously high when Buffy put her hand to his head. She was scared, more scared than she ever had been before with perhaps the slight exception of that day on Glory's tower, when she'd lost her vampire love. Now she had him back, and as a human, she couldn't lose him, not again. 

Giles seemed to think Spike would be okay, that he would live through what they surmised to be an ordinary human ailment, but Spike was no ordinary human. A man who died and rose as a vampire them killed by a mystical force and returned to the living once again, fully human and alive. It was impossible to know if William had come back correctly and what different effects the disease he had might have on his new body. Buffy knew she would just have to sit tight and try to follow Giles's instructions until he arrived to help her. She hadn't thought about it much before but she depended so much on her friends and most especially Giles, who was more of a father to her than her biological one. And then there was Spike, who meant the world to her, who had saved her life and who she depended upon so much, now he was dependant upon her...and she would do all she could to help him.

Back at the Magic Box, Giles instructed Xander to take Dawn, Tara and Willow back to the house and to try to keep Spike comfortable and Buffy calm, if either were possible, and Anya would mind the shop.

"What are you gonna do G-man?" Xander wondered aloud.

"Er, there's something I need to find...someone I need to see, I..." he rambled as he collected together his case and coat and disappeared from the shop.

"Okay, that was weird" the younger man looked around the room at the others, "Didn't anyone else think that was weird?"

"He's probably just worried" Willow shrugged, "Y'know about Spike and also Buffy"

"We all are" Tara said softly, still recovering from a hideous headache as a result of her earlier trance-spell. She knew she should have told the other Scoobies about what she'd seen but Spike was more important now and neither Buffy nor Dawn needed anything more to worry about. As they travelled toward the house, Tara thought about the situation a lot. Maybe she should just tell Willow what she saw? But wouldn't her girlfriend think they should tell the others about it? The witches head throbbed even worse as she started to worry. Her head fell against Willow's shoulder and she was half asleep when Xander pulled the car into Revello Drive.

"You okay, sweetie?" the red-head asked, waking up her girlfriend.

"My head still hurts a little, but I'm fine" she lied, concealing all the worries she was having. She glanced toward the house as Willow helped her from the car and she saw Dawn racing up to the front door and then up the stairs as fast as she could. She moved so fast she was practically a blur.

Xander waited for the girls and then helped to get Tara up to her and Willow's room so she could rest.

"The last thing we want is for you to get sick too" Xander told her.

"I'll be fine, honestly" the girl said softly with a small smile.

"Well, I'm gonna go..." he gestured towards Buffy's room when he stated to feel like a spare part in the room with the two Wicca lovers. It still seemed strange to him that Spike was back and as a human and now he was so ill, but what freaked Xander out even more than that was that he cared. Xander Harris cared if Spike lived or died and not just for the sake of Buffy or Dawn. He watched from the doorway as the Summers sisters sat, one either side of the ex-vampire who now lay fairly still with a wet cloth on his head, looking almost as pale as he had as an undead.

"How's he doing?" he asked softly as he took a step into the room.

"A little better" Buffy told him, swallowing hard and smiling just a little, "he's stopped shaking so much at least"

"That's good" Xander nodded not really knowing what else to do. He kind of felt like the third or maybe fourth wheel here too.

"Giles is.." he paused before continuing, "well, I actually don't know what Giles is doing but I'm sure he'll be here soon"

Buffy nodded, before turning back to her love as he moaned in semi-consciousness.

"Spike?" she called his name, hoping to get some response, but he was still and quiet again, "Come on, Spike" she whispered near his ear, "I love you and I need you" she told him.

"That goes for me too" Dawn added as she shared a glance with her sister.

"It goes for all of us" Xander spoke without thinking, earning twin shocked looks from the Summer's girls.

"What?" the young man shrugged, "He's a Scooby now, right? One of the gang equals us not wanting him dead"

"I know what it means" Buffy nodded and smiled a little once more. Spike was finally accepted and he was human and she was in love with him. Everything was finally going well, and it would be perfect, if only Spike would be okay.

"Hello?!" came a call from the front door as Giles entered the house.

Xander move to the stairs and ushered the older man up them, telling him that Tara was resting and Willow was with her and that Spike was a little better now the convulsions had stopped.

"Buffy, Dawn" the Watcher greeted the girls.

"Giles, where have you been?" the older girl asked, standing up suddenly.

"Er, nowhere special" he waved away her question and moved toward Spike, "Could you perhaps give me a moment with the patient and I'll see if I can do anything"

The girls and Xander did as they were asked and left the room, pulling the door closed behind them. Buffy rubbed her hands over her face and them dragged them back through her hair.

"You look awful" Xander told her.

"Thanks, I needed to hear that" Buffy managed a little sarcasm despite the seriousness of the current situation.

"I didn't mean..." the brunette tried to back-pedal but Buffy shook her head.

"It's okay Xan, I know"

"I'm gonna go get a glass of water" Dawn said, quietly slipping down the stairs.

"You want anything? Maybe coffee?" Xander asked as Buffy leant against the wall and sighed.

"Yeah, coffee would be of the good" she nodded and with a half smile, the man followed Dawn down the stairs to the kitchen.

Back in Joyce's old room, it's newer residents were both lying on top of the bed, Willow with her arms around Tara, the blonde's head resting on her shoulder.

"Will, can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything, baby" the red-head smiled, shifting to see the other girls face.

"When I did the spell" she said slowly "I saw something"

Willow looked surprised.

"You saw something around Spike and you didn't say anything?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't do that" Tara said, sitting up quickly and soon regretting it as her head pounded. She laid back down and sighed.

"I saw something around Buffy, a mist, a green one"

"You think she's okay?" Willow wondered aloud, trying to hide the worry she felt.

"Well, I don't know" Tara admitted, "There was this kind of a thread and it stretched from Buffy to Dawn, like a power cord and it was almost as if..." she trailed off as she thought about it, it was finally becoming clear in her mind.

"Almost as if what?" her girlfriend prompted.

"Well, almost as if..." Tara repeated, "as if the power was flowing from Buffy to Dawn, like it was being syphoned off somehow..."

"What should we do?" Willow asked as he sat bolt upright with shock, "I mean, should we tell Buffy? Oh God, we can't, not while Spike is so weak..."

"But what would we even tell her, anyway?" Tara asked, siting up more slowly, "I mean, we don't even know what it was, what it all means"

"Well, if it was power, I'm guessing it was Slayer power" Willow followed the train of thought, speaking her ideas aloud, "And if Buffy's losing it and Dawn's gaining it...Buffy's not the Slayer anymore" she gasped at the revelation.

"What?!" came a shocked voice from the door way and both girls turned to see Buffy in the open doorway, an understandably shocked expression on her face.

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To Be Continued...


	14. Rambling & Remembering

A/N : Okay, been working hard to get this chapter done and I've started the next chapter of 'The Guy Next Door' too, so for those who are interested in that, the new chapter should be done and posted in a couple of says. Anyway, back to this story, thanx so much for all the reviews, I appreciate all your comments. Just a warning - more twisty plots coming, so concentration needed - I don't want to lose anybody on the way through ; )

Oh, and review if you like this please, it helps with my inspiration!

(For disclaimer etc. - see chapter 1)

**Chapter 14 - Rambling and Remembering**

"Buffy..." Willow started, but realised she had no idea what to say anyway.

"What did you just say?" Buffy asked, coming further into the room as the two Wiccas sat up straighter "I'm not...Dawn she...oh God" Buffy rambled, running her hands back over her face and pushing back her hair.

"Buffy, we could be wrong, we're just guessing..." Tara tried to make some sense and calm down her friend but Buffy was apparently not done with her ramble. As if she hadn't heard a word the blonde witch said she continued.

"I was weak...she was strong...she found Spike and he thought she was me...but how could this...I don't..." the seemingly ex-Slayer paced back and forth as thoughts swirled in her mind.

"Buffy, it's okay" Willow tried to comfort her friend but as she reached her hand out to her, Buffy stopped walking, flinching as if she'd been shocked by electricity.

"Oh my God, the lightning" she exclaimed.

Buffy looked on as Spike fell and then hung, motionless, in the centre of the portal, making expressions of severe pain. The portal writhed and spat and a huge lightning strike shot out, passing through herself and her sister, jolting their bodies wildly, but delivering no pain. The shock awakened the younger girl but seemed not to harm either of them as it curved back into the opening half way down the tower. Dawn gasped as she sat up and saw Spike below, realising what had happened and what he had done. Buffy wondered how her sisters strength had returned so fast, but her thoughts were more occupied by Spike's act of sacrifice than by her sisters awakening. The lightning forgotten, the portal closed, Buffy mourned the loss of the man she loved.

"The lightning on the tower, the day Spike..." she trailed off, her explanation much more coherent now "the lightning from the portal it woke Dawn and passed through us, I felt it, but I didn't know, I...oh my God"

"You mean it joined you two?" Willow guessed.

"And passed your Slayer energy from you to Dawn?" Tara added.

Buffy could say no more, merely nodding mutely at her two friends, wondering what on earth was supposed to happen next.

Xander arrived outside Buffy's bedroom just as Giles exited.

"How's the patient?" the younger man asked.

"Er, better, I think" Giles nodded as he cleaned his glasses "It appears to be pneumonia, it's just hit him fairly hard, probably due to his new human state. His new body is weak already, the illness is therefore more severe for him than the average man" he explained.

"But he's gonna be okay, right?" Xander checked.

"Oh yes, I think so" the older man assured him, putting his glasses back on.

"So, where did you go before?" the brunette was curious to know "Or is it like a Watcher's secret?"

Giles dropped his voice as he answered.

"Drugs for these kind of illnesses only come from doctors on prescription but there was no way we could let an everyday doctor see Spike, how ever would we explain who he was?"

"Good point" Xander conceded, "...so?"

"I called in a favour or two" Giles shrugged and tried to make light of what he'd done. He was not particularly proud of some of his 'contacts'.

"G-man" Xander slapped him on the back "you know people" he smiled, with the emphasis on 'people', making these people sound every bit as unsavoury as they were.

"Yes, well" Giles fidgeted "I'd rather Buffy weren't told, it may undermine me as her Watcher"

No sooner had the girls' name been mentioned than she emerged from Willow and Tara's room, having heard the final few words the man spoke, she said;

"You're not my Watcher"

"Buffy?" he looked at her strangely, as did Xander. 

"I'm not the Slayer" she said in a perfectly ordinary, flat tone of voice, as if the fact were not special at all. She was clearly in some sort of shock "How's Spike?" she added her question quickly.

"I think he's going to be fine" Giles told her with a small smile "it'll just take time now" he made a face as he continued "er, what do you mean you're not the Slayer?"

"Dawn is, I'm not, ask Willow and Tara" she said just as flatly as before, pushing past her Watcher and her friend to go into her room, to Spike.

The two men looked to each other for an answer but neither had one. They glanced toward the door Buffy had disappeared through, then toward the door that hid the two Wiccas, before their attention was finally diverted to the girl bounding up the stairs.

"What's going on?" Dawn wanted to know why they were looking at her so strangely, but the truth was neither of them knew, not really.

Willow and Tara suddenly emerged from their room, confusion etched on their faces to match that of the two men there in the hall.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Dawn tried again, "Is it Spike? Is he okay?" she continued, suddenly frantic as she dived for the bedroom door and burst in. She was relieved to see Buffy seated on the side of the bed, holding a still alive Spike's hand.

"He's okay?" she said slowly, moving toward the bed.

"Yeah, he's going to be okay" her sister told her with a watery smile, before tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall.

"Then what's wrong?" the younger girl asked, glancing between her sister and the gang beyond the door.

"I think we should go downstairs" Giles said quietly, closing the door to the bedroom and taking the Scoobies away. Dawn turned back to Buffy, who in turn looked down at Spike.

"Dawn" she breathed, not looking at her, "we need to talk..."

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked her sister, clearly scared by the seriousness on Buffy's face and in her voice.

With a deep breath and a glance at her unconscious lover, the older girl began.

"Dawnie, you remember the day on the tower, when Spike..." she couldn't even say it and was forced to swallow hard as a lump rose in her throat and her eyes watered.

"Of course I remember" the younger girl replied, taking a seat on the other side of the bed, looking between her sister and her friend.

"You remember, waking up?" the blonde continued and Dawn nodded "do you know why you woke up?"

The brunette seemed to consider the question for a moment before slowly shaking her head. It had not occurred to her why she'd woken up as she had, much the same way as it hadn't really occurred to her how she could fight so well with little or no training and this strength she felt inside of her that sometimes scared her, she'd told no-one of it but it had worried her.

"Dawn, there was power, from the portal, kind of like lightening" Buffy tried to explain, "It passed through me and then you and that's what woke you"

Dawn nodded that she was following so far and her sister continued, blinking back further tears as she did so, "it connected us somehow, my power, it connected it to you and it's flowing all the time, Tara saw it when she was under the trance"

"I'm getting your Slayer power?" the brunette shook her head, not really understanding, "Why? How?"

"I can't answer that Dawn" Buffy smiled at her sister's belief that she would always have the answers, but she didn't, she never would, "I wish I could tell you why it happened and how and what will happen next, but I can't"

"So...I'm...you're not, and I..." Dawn muttered, trying to make sense of what she'd been told. How could she be the Slayer instead of Buffy? She didn't know how to be a Slayer! But then, had she not been fighting, slaying, while Buffy had been unable to, while Spike had been gone...?

"Buffy?"

Both girls attention was diverted from whatever they may have been thinking by Spike's voice, quiet and rough, but unmistakably him.

"Spike, honey, I'm here" Buffy turned to him, still holding his left hand in both of hers, "I'm here and Dawn's here, and you're going to be fine"

"What happened?" he asked, rubbing his forehead with his free hand, his eyes flickering open and closed as they tried to adjust to the level of light in the room.

"You're sick" Dawn told him, "We didn't know what was wrong, but you're gonna be okay cos we're gonna look after you" she said, too fast, making Spike smile at her.

"Nibblet, still a little incoherent here" he told her, "slow down"

"Sorry" she blushed, "I'm just so glad you're awake" she told him, momentarily forgetting the shock news she'd just received, and flinging herself on top of the ex-vampire and hugging him awkwardly.

"Dawn" Buffy smiled as Spike winced, "I think you're crushing him to death"

"It's okay" he assured her, despite the pain, "There are worse ways to die" he smiled and the young girl blushed yet again as she let go of him.

"Dawnie, why don't you go tell the others that Spike's awake" Buffy suggested, wanting a moment alone with her man.

"Okay" the younger Summers nodded as she stood up, "I'll be right back" she promised as she went out of the door.

Buffy looked down at the man before her.

"You have no idea how glad I am that you're awake" she smiled, leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. She saw him smile as she pulled away again but his expression soon turned solemn.

"Truth time now Buffy" he said seriously, "I know you would have told the little bit I was gonna be okay no matter what but...am I really?"

"For a while we weren't sure" the girl admitted, "but Giles says you just have pneumonia, the regular human disease, it just hit you hard cos you're new to the species and all"

"Makes sense" Spike nodded, his eyes closing briefly again, "I'll tell you something, I haven't felt this bad in a while though"

"It's okay" Buffy assured him, putting a hand to his face, "I'm going to take care of you and you're going to be fine. I'm here for you and I'm going to do everything I can for you until you're one hundred percent better"

"I appreciate it, Slayer" he smiled, "but I'm not a child..." he trailed off when he saw a look in her eyes that he knew only too well, that pained, scared, kind of a look, it really bothered him when she looked like that.

"What did I say?" he asked, as she looked away from him.

"Nothing, I'm fine" she lied, but Spike didn't believe her. He was about to ask what was going on when Dawn returned with the entire Scooby gang in tow.

They were all pleased to see their newly human, newly accepted Scooby friend awake again and less pale and ill than he'd looked earlier. There was some general chatter about Spike and how they would all make sure he was fighting fit in no time at all, they never heard the knock on the front door.

* * * * * 

When no-one answered his knock, the man tried a second time but still no-one came. On the off chance he tried pushing the door and was kind of surprised to find it unlocked and easy to open. He first glanced into the living room and then the dining room, before making his way around o the kitchen. No-one was there, but he knew there were people in the house, he could sense that much. 'Upstairs?' he thought to himself and made his way back around to the hallway. 

* * * * * 

Spike was very weak and Giles suggested that whilst he was awake, he drink as much liquid as possible to get his strength back. After a joke from Xander about drinking blood, which made everyone nauseous, including the newly human Spike, Buffy offered to fetch her love some soup. He agreed that was a good idea and pressing a quick kiss to his forehead, Buffy left the room.

* * * * * 

As he reached the bottom of the staircase, prepared to go up and search for the people he knew must be there, he came face to face with the owner of the house, who was more than a little shocked to see him there. Buffy's shock, mixed with her worry over Spike, lack of sleep and earlier shock over her non-Slayer status, caused her to faint, falling from two steps up into the waiting arms of the man below. One word passed her lips as she fell, the name of the man who caught her - "Angel"

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To Be Continued...


	15. Angel

A/N : Okay, let's clear something up - I'm a huge B/S shipper and I kind of agree with what Leanne said about Angel in her review. He's here for a reason but that reason is not to split up Buffy and Spike, I promise. Now, thanx for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 15 - Angel

"Angel?" said Buffy as she stirred on the sofa, just moments after the man had laid her there.

"I'm here Buffy" he said softly, sitting beside her, clutching her hand, a hand that she quickly pulled away when she realised.

She opened her eyes and tried to pull herself up to a sitting position.

"Wha...what are you doing here?" she managed to ask, still a little incoherent. He shook his head.

"That doesn't matter right now, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine" she assured him with a nod, pushing her hair from her face and sitting up straight "I'm just tired" she blinked "Please, tell me why you're here"

Angel sighed, that was his Buffy, never one to worry about herself, much more worried about everyone and everything else.

"We found something in LA" he admitted "a scroll with a prophecy, about you, I think"

"Oh great" Buffy sighed "a prophecy, that's just what I need right now..." she spoke sarcastically and Angel looked worried.

"What else is going on?"

"Oh, so much stuff, you wouldn't believe" Buffy shook her head "what with Dawn and Spike and..."

"Spike giving you trouble?" her old lover interrupted and Buffy had to stifle a laugh.

"Oh Angel, you are so out of the loop"

The vampire looked at her strangely as he realised she was biting her lip so as not to laugh at him. What had he said that was so amusing?

"You wanna help me get back in the loop?" he asked, distinctly curious now.

"Okay" Buffy started, turning to sit up straight, beside him on the sofa, "short version, because I really don't have the energy for the long version" she told him "Glory the hell god, bled Dawn, opened a portal, only Dawn's blood could close it - with me so far?" she checked.

"I think so" Angel nodded "...is Dawn okay?"

"Yes" Buffy nodded too "Spike drained Dawn, not to death just to unconsciousness, and jumped in the portal thus closing it" she got that far with a straight face but the memory of that day came rushing back so fast, the pain of losing Spike, her voice cracked and tears came to her eyes as she continued "He killed himself for us" she choked out "for the world" she smiled a little as she glanced at Angel, "for me"

"He's dead?" the vampire asked, wide-eyed. Could his unruly childe have done all this? Died for the sake of the world? For the sake of Buffy?

"He was" Buffy nodded "but the gang brought him back" she paused before adding quietly "...as a human"

Immediately, Angel was off of the sofa and pacing the length of the room. Buffy's eyes followed him back and forth a couple of times, she knew he must be hurting. He'd been cursed with the soul and trapped halfway between being a man and a monster, not able to truly be either one. He longed to be human again and yet it was his childe, Spike, who got the gift instead. Buffy knew he must be hurting.

"Angel..." she started, but really wasn't sure what to say to him. He saved her having to think of anything as he interrupted.

"Spike is human?" he checked, unable to take in what he'd been told.

"Yes" Buffy confirmed, realising that whilst she was catching Angel up on all she'd missed, she should mention one more vital piece of information. Afraid of his reaction, she spoke quietly "and I should probably mention that...we're kind of together"

She hardly dared to look at him as he stopped his pacing, his eyes going wider and his skin even paler than she'd ever seen before.

"You and Spike?" he said slowly and Buffy nodded yet again.

"I guess it's true what they say" she shrugged, "you don't know what you have until it's gone and when he was gone, oh God, I was a mess" she remembered with a humourless laugh.

"Why did no-one call me?" Angel seemed to ask the ceiling more than the girl he was talking to, before resuming his pacing "I didn't know any of this, maybe I could've helped, I could've..."

"Angel" she interrupted, getting to her feet to stand in front of him and stop his movement that was making her dizzy just watching "you couldn't have done anything more than the gang were doing for me" she told him, looking up into his face "and it's all okay now" she smiled, moving away a little now, putting some distance between their bodies "well, except for Spike having pneumonia but Giles is pretty sure he's gonna be okay now"

Angel sighed, running a hand over his face.

"God, this is a lot of information to take in"

"I know and I'm sorry that I had to tell you all this so fast, I know this was the last thing you were expecting when you came here..." Buffy apologised "again, why did you come here? You said something about a prophecy?" she prompted.

"Buff?" a voice called from the stirs and both occupants of the living room turned to see Xander coming down the stairs "Spike says chicken for the soup if you have any and..." he paused half way down as he noticed Angel "what's he doing here?" he said somewhat nastily.

"I was just asking that" Buffy told him, though he didn't seem to hear, his eyes were locked on the vampire.

"Hey Xander" the taller man half smiled.

"Angel" the younger man greeted flatly before turning his attention back to Buffy "You want me to get the food for the patient?"

"No" she shook her head "that's okay, I'll do it"

"Okay" Xander nodded "Well, I'm gonna go say bye to the gang" he said, pointing up the stairs the way he had come "then I should tell Anya what's going on with Spike being awake and all" with that he disappeared and without a word Buffy headed for the kitchen, Angel trailing behind her.

"So, come on" Buffy prompted again as Angel sat on a stool by the counter and she started to warm some soup from a can "spill about the prophecy"

"Er, well, it's complicated" the vampire told her "but it seems to be about the Slayer..."

"But wouldn't that mean Faith?" the blonde snapped at the word 'Slayer' "I mean she's the real Slayer" - 'and if it's not her then it's Dawn, not me' she thought to herself.

"No, no, it also mentioned the Hellmouth" Angel assured her "the Slayer living on the Hellmouth, something about the giving of power...it's complex and not fully translated yet, so I brought the scroll with me..."

"Dawn's got my Slayer powers, I know" Buffy said simply and flatly her back still faced toward Angel as he suddenly stopped worrying about trying to carefully prise the scroll from insode his jacket. 

"Dawn?" he frowned in confusion as Buffy turned around to pour the soup into a bowl on the counter.

"Yeah" she nodded "let's see, your prophecy mention lightening, threads of green energy, power shifting and my sister taking my destiny?"

Angel looked amazed, probably because he was.

"Not so much detail" he admitted "how did you...?"

"Another long story" she cut him off, putting the pan into the sink and running water into it for the tap.

"Wow" she heard him say,

"What? What, wow?" she asked, turning to face him again.

"You're handling this well, finding out you're not the Slayer"

Buffy sighed as she leaned forward, resting her weight on her hands on the counter top.

"Angel, right now, my priority is Spike" she explained "he's sick and he needs me, everything else can wait" she put the bowl of soup on the tray.

"You really love him, don't you?" Angel said, quietly - more of a statement than a question, but it made Buffy uncomfortable. 

"I have to take this to him..." she said almost inaudibly, picking up the tray and making for the door. She walked as fast as she dared, focusing on getting up the stairs to Spike and not answering the question she'd been asked.

She took a deep breath as she got outside the bedroom door and walked in backwards so as to open the door without spilling the soup on the tray in front of her. As she turned she realised there was only her and Spike in the room.

"Where'd everybody go?" she asked, puzzled.

"The Wiccas needed rest" he told her from his position on the bed "the Watcher went with Xander back to the Magick shop and when I realised how late it was I sent the Nibblet to bed, since it's a school night and all" he glanced at the clock as Buffy put the tray on the bedside table "I was only out of it for a day, right?"

"Oh, yeah" Buffy nodded, sitting down on the bed, facing him "just today" she smiled a little but Spike knew it wasn't real and it reminded him of her earlier behaviour. There was definitely something not right. He stayed quiet for a ccouple of minutes as Buffy helped him drink some soup, but his curiousity soon got the better of him. He refused to drink anymore and as Buffy put the bowl back on the table he sighed.

"Now, pet" he said softly, reaching for her hand "tell me what's wrong"

"Nothings wrong" she said, unable to look him in the eye.

"You can't lie to me, luv" he told her, tilting his head to see her face better "I know you too well" he smiled and she knew it was true "Come on, tell me" he insisted.

"Can I come in?" said a voice from the doorway and Buffy didn't know whether to be distressed or relieved at the interruption, from Angel.

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To Be Continued... (as soon as I can - in the meantime, please review!)


	16. Humanity

A/N : I know this chapter is quite short, but I'm still quite proud of it. Thanx for all the reviews, I hope everyone likes this new chapter. To clules4eva, you had some great ideas, but not quite what I had in mind. To Leanne8582, here's one thing you've been waiting for and maybe next chapter you'll get the rest. To wolf116, wait and see. Just to let anyone who is interested know, I updated The Guy Next Door the other day but I don't think anyone saw it since Fanfiction.net was doing it's famously annoying overload thing. Anyway, please read and review this chapter and then maybe you could go and read and review The Guy Next Door! ; )

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 16 - Humanity

"Bloody hell" Spike exclaimed, raising his head from the pillow for a better view of the man in the doorway "Angel?"

"Yeah, it's me" the vampire nodded, entering the room "Good to see you Spike"

"Never thought I'd live to hear you say that" Spike scoffed.

"Never thought you'd live" Angel smirked in response, causing a similar smirk on his former childe's face too.

"Good point" he conceded.

Buffy glanced between the two, her eyes catching Angel's just for a second. She was very uncomfortable with the situation and hated the fact that she didn't know what would happen next. Angel in her bedroom, she hadn't expected that to ever occur again, but with Spike there too - this was the stuff that very weird dreams / bordering on nightmares were made of.

"Angel came to...to..." she stuttered and the man himself saved her.

"That doesn't matter right now" Angel shook his head, coming to stand the opposite side of the bed to her "Buffy told me what happened, everything you did" he said to Spike.

"Yeah?" the bleach blond replied, warily.

"What can I say?" the brunette shrugged, completely at a loss and Buffy realised her presence was only making everything more difficult. She picked up the tray from the table and stood quickly, once again catching a look from Angel as she glanced at him.

"I'll take this downstairs..." she trailed off, almost physically running for the open door, leaving the former sire and childe alone. She wasn't sure if it was a good move or not, but she felt so strange sitting there between them so uncomfortable, she just had to get out. 

Back in the bedroom, Angel took a seat in the chair to the right of Spike as he lie on the bed, eyes half closed.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Like death, ironically" Spike smirked his usual smirk, opening his eyes properly "You?"

"I'm fine, well, as fine as usual" Angel nodded before the room plunged into silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other. It had been a long time and they wee both such different people now, what was there to say.

"So..." Spike started but soon realised he had thing to follow up with.

"So..." Angel echoed "you and Buffy" he said finally, immediately regretting it but it was too late to take it back now.

"Yeah" Spike nodded looking intently at the vampire he had called a friend, an enemy and a grand-sire "what do you have to say about that?"

There was a moment of silence as Angel seemed to ponder the question, studying his hands, not daring to look at Spike as he gave his answer.

"If she's happy, I'm happy" he said finally.

"Bollocks" Spike laughed, only causing himself to cough, harshly.

"Excuse me?" said Angel in disbelief.

"You heard me" Spike nodded as his coughing fit subsided "I saw the look" he sneered.

"What look?" Angel asked, not half as naive as he pretended to be.

"The look you two had" Spike would have yelled, except he didn't want to wake the whole house "the look you two *always* have..." he turned his head away as he continued "Watcher tells me I'm gonna live through this, now you're back, wonder if there's any point"

"What are you talking about?" Angel asked, though he had an idea what the man meant, he couldn't believe he was saying it.

"Doesn't really matter what happens to me" Spike said sadly "She'll always have you to run too. She'll always love you" the last few words were no more than a whisper, but Angel heard every one and sighed as he took them in.

"Yeah, maybe she will" he admitted "and I know I'll always love her too, but Spike it's you she chose"

"She didn't choose me" he snapped, looking back at the brunette he had come to despise "she got stuck with me, when she couldn't have you" with that he turned away again, as much as he was able and Angel shook his head.

"You believe that?"

"I don't know..." Spike realised, he didn't know what he meant anymore. He turned back yet again "What are you doing here, Peaches?" he wondered aloud, realising the poof had yet to give him an actual reason for a visit.

"You know you'd think humanity would make you more civil" Angel avoided the question, focusing on the insulting name Spike had thrown at him...again.

"I can be civil" the blonde bit back "just cause I'm human doesn't mean I have to be a ponce like you though, does it?"

"Spike..." Angel sighed in annoyance.

"Say whatever it is you came to say you stupid poof and then get the hell out" Spike said, almost growling, he certainly would have growled if had still been a vamp, as it was he still sounded menacing.

"Y'know what Spike" Angel stood up "I thought you'd changed, and I guess in some ways you have, but there's still that part of you" he pointed a finger "you just can't let yourself be satisfied can you?"

Spike only glared in response, not sure how to verbally react and wishing he wasn't too weak to stand because he really would love to be pummelling the great poofter into a bloody pulp right now, for more than one reason.

"You've got your humanity back" Angel said incredulously "I'll probably never get that, how ever much I want it, you have friends who love you like a family, you have saved the world and lived through it and now, on top of all that, you have the woman you love" Spike opened his mouth to defend himself but he wasn't allowed "what more do you want, William?" Angel added quietly and with a swoosh of black coat he was gone from the room.

Spike just stared after his former grand-sire. 

Was Angel right? 

Should he be content now? 

But how could he be when he was so uncertain. 

Buffy said she loved him and he wanted to believe it, but what about Angel? 

What Buffy and Angel had before, that was something different, something special and he knew it. 

Human or not, how could he ever compete with that? 

__

To Be Continued...


	17. Love And Other Feelings

A/N : Thanx for the reviews guys - the positive comments mean a lot to me. Here's another chapter for you - lots of Spuffy! Oh, and for those that are interested, the next chapter of 'The Guy Next Door' is on it's way soon.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 17 - Love and Other Feelings

"Buffy?" Angel called as he came back downstairs.

"In the kitchen" she called back and he went to her. As he entered she looked up from the dishes she was washing "is Spike okay?" she checked.

"He's fine" Angel nodded, taking a seat by the counter once again.

"What did you guys talk about?" Buffy asked next, not really sure whether she wanted to know or not.

"Oh, not much..." the vampire shrugged, as she turned back to her task "Buffy, before when I asked you if you loved him, you never answered me"

Immediately the girl put down the dishes, dried her hands and came to sit by him.

"Angel..." she started, looking and sounding just as uncomfortable as she felt.

"I know you're probably not comfortable talking to me about this" he interrupted "and believe me I'm not all that happy about asking..."

"Then why are you?" she snapped "Asking, I mean"

"Because it's important" he answered simply and quietly.

There was a moments silence before Buffy found her voice again.

"Angel, I'll always love you, y'know that right?"

"Of course" he nodded "I'll always love you too" he said, practically in a whisper "You're very special to me"

She smiled at that.

"You too" she told him "but somewhere along the line" she continued, looking away from him "I don't know when or how it happened but..."

"We stopped being *in* love with each other?" he guessed what she wanted to say and he knew it was probably true. He loved her still but whatever had made them be in love just wasn't there anymore.

Buffy nodded that he was right, afraid of making a verbal answer, in case she'd upset him. He seemed okay though.

"And you fell in love with Spike" Angel more stated than asked.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded and smiled as she thought of the man upstairs "Yeah, I did"

"Tell him, Buffy" Angel said simply, looking her straight in the eye.

"I have told him" she said, unsure why the vampire was being so serious and authoritative all of a sudden.

"Tell him again" he insisted "Tell him all of what you just told me"

What he said and the way he said it made Buffy suspiscious.

"What did he say to you?" she frowned.

"It's nothing" Angel waved away her look with his hand "it's just..." he tried to find the word "insecurity, I guess" he shrugged.

Buffy couldn't process this. Her vampiric ex-boyfriend was more or less ordering her to tell her current former-vampire boyfriend that she loved him because he was insecure. She looked confused and uncomfortable, again, and Angel realised he may have crossed a line somewhere or at least said something he shouldn't have. 

"I shouldn't be talking to you about this it's none of my business" he said quickly getting off of the stool "in fact now I've said what I came to say about the prophecy I should probably just leave the scroll and go" he decided, taking the paper from inside his jacket, placing it on the counter and heading for the door all in one swift movement. 

"You can't" Buffy told him, grabbing his arm. He was about to protest when she continued "there's only a couple of hours til sunrise you'll have to wait til tonight" 

'No way out of that one' Angel conceded in his mind 

"Besides" Buffy continued "I could use some help explaining to Dawn and the others what's happening"

Angel sighed.

"Well, I can't stay here" he said, turning back.

"Sure you can" Buffy told him "the couch is all yours, well, it is once I've closed the curtains and warned the others not to open them til sundown" she added.

"Okay" he agreed after a moments consideration, then he asked "does Dawn know about what's happening to her?"

"Yes" Buffy answered immediately "well, kind of, no" she babbled "I was telling her about it when Spike woke up and he became centre of attention again" she smiled.

"It's his favourite place to be" Angel agreed "...what about the others?"

"Will and Tara, they figured it out" Buffy explained "and I said something vague to Giles and Xander, I was still a little shocked when I talked to them, I don't know if the others would have filled them in..."

"We'll have a meeting in the morning" the vampire decided "start from the beginning"

"Yeah, I guess we should do that" Buffy agreed "but it'll have to be here at the house" she realised "since you can't go out and I'm not leaving Spike"

Angel only smiled as she finished off the dishes.

"What?" she asked, spotting the grin on his face.

"You got it" he told her, still smiling

"Got what?" she asked, dubiously, finally having finished washing and drying the dishes, she dried her hands and leant on the counter beside him.

"What I wished for you" he said, softly "a normal life, well close anyway. You're not the Slayer, Spike's not a vampire, you can be happy now..." he trailed off.

"Yeah" she agreed, "I guess I can" but her heart really wasn't in what she said and Angel wasn't sure why. He had no chance to say anything as Buffy quickly changed the subject "Well, I'm going to close those curtains so you can get a few hours sleep before I call the gang back for the meeting" she said, heading for the living room.

"You should get some sleep too" he called after her.

"Can't right now" she yelled over her shoulder "I have stuff to talk to Spike about"

"Yeah, I think you do" the vampire said to himself.

"Hey" Buffy smiled as she came into the bedroom.

"Hey yourself" said the bleach blond stretched out on the bed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" the girl apologised as she sat on the bed beside him.

"Not sleeping luv, just thinking" he assured her as he picked up her hand and held it in his, marvelling yet again at the wondrous turn of events in his life, recently.

"About what?" Buffy asked, tilting her head.

"You and me, mostly" Spike told her "and my life, and my unlife, all of it"

He gazed off into space and Buffy knew Angel was right. She had to make sure Spike understood how she felt, he deserved the whole truth about her feelings.

"Spike" she got his attention again "you do know that I love you, right? I mean, really"

"I know, pet" he smiled, squeezing her hand.

"See I don't think you do" she protested, shaking her head. She took a deep breath "You see, when I met Angel..."

"Buffy, do we have to talk about this right now?" Spike complained.

"Yes, we do" she told him, firmly "because we both know you can't walk away right now, you have to listen, if I wait to say this it'll never get said"

Spike knew she was right, and he also knew that she felt what she had to say was important so he conceded and listened.

"Now" she began again "when I met Angel, I was just a child, fifteen years old and confused about my life, being the Slayer and all, he looked after me, protected me, made me feel safe. He was what I needed, what I wanted and yes, I was in love with him, but it would never have worked out"

"Because he was a vampire" Spike threw in.

"Well, that wouldn't have helped but, it wasn't just that" Buffy admitted "It was so many things. We could have got passed the sun allergy and found a spell to keep the curse from lifting if it had been worth it..."

"Are you telling me it wasn't?" Spike interrupted, a frown on his face. He was sure Buffy and the Poofter imagined themselves great soulmates and the idea that she believed their relationship just wasn't worth the hassle - well, that was a revelation of universe-altering proportions!

"Can't have been, can it?" she smiled, crookedly "Because he's not the one here now... you are" she ended in a whisper.

"You don't love him anymore?" Spike asked, dubiously.

"No, I do" Buffy insisted and in all honesty, the ex-vamp had expected that "just like I love all my friends" she said, emphasising the word friends "He's special to me Spike, I won't deny it. He was my first ...in many ways...but you'll be my last and that matters more" she told him, looking into his eyes "I'm in love with you, Spike...only you"

"If you hadn't noticed" he whispered, a smile on his face "I'm in love with you too"

They leaned in closer until their lips met, but the kiss didn't last anywhere near long enough as Spike started to cough up a lung.

"Well that's a mood killer" Buffy made a face and tried not to laugh as her love continued to choke.

"Bloody buggering human diseases!" he complained as the fit subsided "Easier when I was a vampire, a lot less phlegm"

"Eeeww, Spike!" Buffy hit him lightly on the arm for the use of such a word.

"Well, the mood was already dead, right?" he smirked.

"True" Buffy conceded with a smile as Spike laid back down and closed his eyes "You need some rest" she realised, standing up, but Spike still had hold of her hand.

"You look like you do too" he said, opening an eye.

She smiled and moved around the bed to lay beside him.

"Maybe I'll close my eyes just for a little while" she whispered, snuggling close to him. He wrapped an arm around her and held her tight.

"I love you, Buffy" he said softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head "always will"

"I love you too" she replied, just as quietly "William"

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To Be Continued...


	18. Prophecy Girls

A/N : Glad people are still reading this and enjoying it. Just another two or three chapters to go now. The title of this chapter may look a little familiar, since it's almost an episode title (season 1 episode 12 for anyone who doesn't remember). Hope you like it, hope you review it ;-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

****

Chapter 18 - Prophecy Girls

A distant ringing sound brought Buffy out of her light slumber. She shifted a little and opened her eyes, her mind starting to remember where she was and what was going on. She snuggled closer to the man beside her, her love, her Spike, wanting just to ignore all the weird stuff in her life for a moment and just be peaceful there with William, but her movement had caused him to stir too.

"Hey, pet" the bleach blond yawned, "You awake?"

"No" she answered, her voice muffled by his shoulder that her head lay against.

"Liar" he smiled, kissing the top of her head and she giggled.

"Maybe" she conceded, looking up at him, "But I want to stay here forever"

"Nice idea, luv" Spike smiled down at her, "but hardly practical"

"I know" she admitted, pulling herself up a little more, "it's just with everything that's going on..."

"Don't worry about me, luv" Spike interrupted, "I'll be fine"

"Not just you" Buffy said quietly, pulling herself up to a sitting position and looking straight at the man she loved, "Spike...you asked me before what was wrong but I never got a chance to tell you...I'm not the Slayer anymore"

The look on Spike's face was somewhere between confused, surprised and some other indistinguishable emotion.

"How?" was the only word he could say.

"Something happened on the tower" Buffy explained "the day you..." she couldn't say 'died'... "the day we beat Glory" she said instead, "it shifted my Slayer power...to Dawn"

"My Little Bit?" Spike all but gasped, "is a Slayer?"

Buffy merely nodded as a light knock came on the door.

"Buffy? It's Willow, can I come in?"

"Sure Will, come in" the ex-Slayer called as Spike lay still dumbfounded and speechless for now.

"Hey, you feeling better Spike?" the witch smiled when she saw her newly human friend looked a little better.

"Not so bad, Red" he forced a smile, but his head was swimming with the revelation about his two favourite girls.

"Thing is, that was the phone, Angel answered it" Willow explained, "the gang are coming over in a few minutes to decipher the scroll that Angel told us about"

Buffy nodded, "I'll be down in a few"

"Okay" came the simpler reply as Willow exited the room again, closing the door behind her.

"Wow" was all Spike could say when the ex-Slayer looked over at him for some kind of reaction.

"Yeah, kind of a big" Buffy shrugged, "Angel brought a scroll thingy, supposed to have a prophecy on it about the whole Slayer skills switch deal...I should go down"

Buffy stood to leave but Spike grabbed her hand, he could see what she was feeling, he'd felt it himself not long after he'd been chipped as a vampire. That feeling of having no purpose, no meaning to your existence, because it had all just been snatched away from you.

"This doesn't change anything, Buffy" he told her carefully, "You'll always be my Slayer" he promised her with a smile, as tears filled her eyes, "You're the Slayer of my heart"

She smiled a little at that before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Thankyou Spike" she whispered, "That means a lot to me"

With that she pulled her hand from his and made for the door in silence. It really did mean a lot to her, knowing that he still cared but there was still that feeling of being lost that she couldn't shake...but it would pass, she was sure, and maybe it wasn't a permenant thing anyway, maybe she'd get her powers back, they'd find out when they'd deciphered the scroll Angel had brought.

When she got downstairs everyone was just arriving and she was glad to be surrounded by people again, it took her mind off her worries.

After general greetings and asking after Spike's welfare, it didn't take the extra large Scooby gang long to set to work on the scroll. All squashed in around the dining room table surrounded by books and obviously with all sources of sunlight covered for Angel's safety, the group did their best to uncover the secrets of the latest hard-to-decipher writing.

"See the problem isn't just the translation" Angel explained "the words are half worn away, it'd barely be readable even in English"

Giles took the paper from the vampire.

"Yes, I do see why that would make things difficult...the words do seem to be Greek though" he realised.

"Yeah" Angel nodded "like I told Buffy, I worked some of it out before, but as soon as realised it was about Buffy's Slayer powers I came straight here, figured you guys could do the rest"

"So what do have so far?" Willow asked and Angel produced a second piece of paper, this one clearly much newer than the first, and began to read the translation. 

"Well, I think I have most of the first sentence, er, 'the chosen strength, protector of the mouth of hell in the valley of the sun shall give greatest strength as...' something about giving up life but that's when the text gets hard to read"

"So, translation into real words" said Xander "all that says is the Buffster is gonna lose her Slayer super-powers?"

"And possibly my life?" Buffy added with some concern.

"We don't know that for sure" Angel was quick to reply.

"And we never will if we can't read anymore of this text" Giles realised, moving the scroll forward and back in front of his face hoping to bring the words into focus but having no luck at all. His attempts were interrupted by the happy cry of Willow.

"Oh, I think we can help" she smiled, gesturing between herself and Tara.

"What d'you got?" Xander asked the grinning red-head and her girlfriend.

"A-a spell" Tara said quietly "a pretty simple one actually, it's called 'Reconstituez et Indiquez'"

"Reconstitute and indicate?" Buffy guessed.

"Well yeah" Willow told her "but basically, 'Restore and Reveal. It's a spell that restores old and worn writings and pictures, brings the old marks to the surface so they can be seen or read more easily" she explained.

"Ah, yes" Giles nodded "why didn't I think of that, no ingredients needed if I remember rightly"

"No" Tara answered him "just incantation and concentration"

"Hey, you're a poet and you don't know it" Dawn giggled causing several eye rolls at her childish behaviour.

"Yes, indeed" Giles sighed "well, do you think you could concentrate and incantate for us now?" he asked the Wicca couple.

"Oh sure" Willow smiled, taking hold of Tara's hand. A few Latin words and some witch-type focus and the writing magically appeared clear as it had ever been when it had been originally written.

"Great" Anya grinned at the text "now my Greek knowing skills can be much better used" she was pleased to be of use for once "I mean, my ancient languages are a little rusty but..."

"Yes, mine too" Giles admitted "but we have the dictionary and the basic gist of the information, so it shouldn't take long"

"And that's a good thing" the ex-demon smiled some more "cos Xander and I kind of have plans of a sex kind"

"Ahn..." Xander sighed with annoyance and embarrassment.

"What?" she asked, looking confused at the tone he said her name in - what was it she was supposed to have done wrong? She'd only told the truth?

"Please, can we deal with the matter in hand?" Giles asked, clearly not wanting to hear whatever Anya might like to say.

"Sorry" she apologised, looking down at the table, only wishing she understood why humans made such a big deal about telling the truth if they were just going to complain when she did it.

"Okay then, what's this word here?" Willow asked, placing her finger below the strange word.

"Er...black" Xander told her, after much flicking of the pages of the Greek-to-English translation dictionary.

"Black?" the red-head echoed "Okay, so Buffy will give her powers as the black something gives life" she interpreted "What's the something?" she wondered aloud.

Angel managed to pronounce the odd word they needed "I think that's soldier or fighter?" he tried to remember, looking to Giles for some clue as to whether he was right or not.

"Erm, I think a good translation might be warrior?" the Watcher made his own guess.

"Okay so who's the black warrior?" Xander was eager to discover the answer to the long and boring riddle and go home, with Anya, for the unmentionable stuff that she'd almost mentioned before.

"Beats me" Buffy shrugged "a demon?" she guessed form the word black "But a demon wouldn't give it's life for me or Dawn"

"Hey" Willow had a thought "a former demon-y guy might" she smiled, pointing upward, and realisation dawned on everyone elses face, followed a few seconds later by Xander.

"Spike?" Buffy said aloud "Well, I guess it could be..."

"I have some more..." Anya smiled as she realised she remembered more Greek than she thought "I'm not sure of the first word" she admitted "but '...shall rise to bring hope and peace for...' " she frowned and grabbed the dictionary from Xander "hold on...'saviours of...'" she figured out before becoming stuck again. Angel leaned over her shoulder and finished for her.

"That's 'light and dark'" he pointed out.

"S-so what's th-the first word?" Tara stammered as she always did "W-who will rise to bring the, er, hope and peace?"

Angel read the word aloud, as if it were answer enough "that's Greek for Aurora" he explained off of everyone else's blank expression, with the possible exception of Giles "It wouldn't be in the dictionary because it's a persons name"

"It's a pretty name" Dawn thought aloud "better that boring 'Dawn'" she complained.

"Hate to burst your bubble Dawn" Angel smiled at her typical grumpy teen attitude, reminding him a little of the Buffy he once knew "but Aurora was the goddess of light and new beginnings, translated into English..."

"It means Dawn?" Buffy guessed.

The vampire nodded that she was correct.

"Well, this doesn't say anymore than we already know. Dawn has my powers" Buffy said flatly, no expression on her face or in her voice at all.

"Yeah, but what about the black warrior?"

"Well, Aurora, that's Dawn, gets my power and brings hope and peace for her saviours, who would be me and I guess Spike, since the Slayer is light and vampires are dark, usually" Buffy surprised herself at how well she seemed to explain.

"So what's the last line all about?"

"That's what bothers me"

"Well, it says black warrior again right here" Willow pointed to the appropriate piece of writing.

"Okay, more about the former evil dead" Xander translated into his own words, with a grin.

"I told you he likes to be centre of attention" Angel smiled at Buffy but she really wasn't listening, and Giles was growing tired of the jokes and general banter when there was Greek prophecies to decipher.

"Yes, quite, now then.." he brought all attention to himself as he translated the final part "'the, er, black warrior soft...softened by the lights surrounding him shall rise again'"

"Wow" Dawn gasped "we made a prophecy come true when we brought back Spike!"

"It was meant to be" Buffy whispered more to herself that to anyone else "he was meant to come back to me..."

"What's the last part say?" Xander wanted to know, eager for the translation to be done so he could go home.

"Let's see..." Giles continued "'shall rise again as protector and guide to Aurora and Chosen"

"He did" Dawn grinned, turning to her sister "He came back for us, Buffy"

"I know" Buffy nodded slowly as a smile spread over her face "I'm stating to think he does everything for us"

"Because I do" said a voice from the doorway and every head turned to see a slightly worse for wear looking bleach blond. he was fully clothed but also had a blanket around him and even this did not stop him from shivering.

"Spike!" Dawn yelled, jumping from her seat and flinging herself at the former vampire, almost knocking him clean over with her new Slayer strengths.

"Hey Nibblet" Spike smiled, hugging her back and ruffling her hair.

"Spike, you should be in bed" Buffy said sternly, getting up from her seat and coming over to him.

"Well, luv" he smirked "I'll let you put me back there later if you're a good girl, but right now I think I'll do just fine on the couch with, say, a mug of hot chocolate?"

Buffy considered for a moment but she knew she couldn't resist letting him have at least a little of his own way.

"You can sit there while I make your drink" she conceded "but then back upstairs mister" she ordered, guiding him into the living room to sit down "I may not be the Slayer anymore but I can still kick your ass in your current state"

"Don't make promises you won't keep, luv" he smirked again, as the rest of the gang filtered into the living room "So I'm prophetic now am I?" Spike asked before looking straight at Angel "Not a word, Peaches" he knew his ex-grandsire would love the opportunity to make a joke out of him.

"Wasn't gonna say a thing" Angel forced down a smirk "kind of surprised Xander didn't though..." he frowned a little, looking over at the brunette who remained silent.

"Me and the whelp got kind of a truce" Spike explained as Buffy disappeared to the kitchen to make his hot chocolate "what with him helping with the mojo that brought me back from the beyond" he shrugged "'sides I feel less anti social these days, towards some people anyway" he mumbled and almost growled the last part and everyone saw a fight coming.

"Getting back to the matter in hand if I may" Giles interrupted as he entered the room with the scroll in one hand and an open book balanced in the other "it seems quite clear now that Dawn definitely does have the Slayer skills that used to belong to Buffy. It's all highly irregular" he concluded closing the book and flopping down in a chair near Spike.

"I think it's cool" the youngest Summers grinned, taking a seat next to the still shivering Spike "and Buffy and Spike are supposed to be together forever and be my personal helper type people"

"Well, sort of, yes" Giles conceded, removing his glasses to clean them on a handkerchief.

"Well, if all the fun researching is over, maybe me and Ahn could make a move" Xander suggested.

"That's a very good idea" Anya nodded and smiled, enthusiastically, "We should go home and have many orgasms right now"

Everyone's eyes were on a very mortified Xander, who was far too embarrassed to say anything. He just nodded to his friends and got Anya out of the door as fast as possible.

"Oh, we should go too" Willow gasped, checking her watch, "We have class" she reminded Tara, "I almost totally forgot"

Almost immediately the girls were gone, along with Giles who offered to drive them to the college to save them some time. This left only Buffy, Dawn, Spike, Angel and an uncomfortable silence at 1630 Revello Drive.

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To Be Continued...


	19. Fate And Destiny

A/N : Nearly finished with this fic now. One or maybe two chapters to go after this one, depends how it turns out when I write it. Meanwhile, here's the next part which I hope you like. To Leanne, thanx for the review, glad you still like the story. To Steanne, sorry about the error, hope you liked the chapter. If you read this, please review...the story is nearly over...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 19 - Fate and Destiny

"Soon as the sun's down I'll head back to LA" said Angel breaking the silence that had descended on the living room. He sat in an armchair, feeling distinctly like the odd one out as the Summer's sisters sat either side of Spike on the couch. The new human's recovery from pneumonia was being helped on it's way out by the blanket around his shoulders and more importantly by a mug of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows in it. Spike smiled as he remembered drinking the same drink with Joyce just last year, so much had changed since then...

"I guess, when the sun goes down, I should patrol?" Dawn said a little uncertainly.

"No" Buffy answered like a reflex, before realising her mistake, "I mean, yes...but I think the gang should go with"

"Why?" her sister wanted to know.

"Cos we don't want anything nasty happening to you, Little Bit" Spike answered for his love, who he knew was feeling completely bewildered by everything that had happened and was still happening.

"I know" Dawn conceded, "And I love it that you care" she smiled, "but I'm the Slayer now..." she paused and giggled at her own words, "God, it sounds so weird saying that"

'Not as weird for you to say as it is for me to hear' Buffy thought to herself. She should be glad she was normal now but...there were tears in her eyes and a tremble in her voice when she said;

"I should go and..." that was as far as she got as she got up and practically ran to the kitchen.

"I'll go after her..." Angel started but Spike protested.

"No, not you" he snapped.

"Spike" the brunette sighed "I know she's yours now but you're not well..."

"I know" the bleach blond snapped again, he couldn't help himself "I didn't mean me, let the Bit go," he tipped his head toward the girl "Summers sisters need some alone time"

Angel nodded in agreement and both the vampire and his ex-grand-childe looked over at Dawn as she realised they were right and went after her sister.

The ex-Slayer was seated on a stool by the counter, her face in her hands as she sobbed, not really sure what it was she was crying for, but even less certain of when she'd ever stop.

"Buffy?" Dawn asked cautiously approaching her sister. Buffy's head snapped up and she scrubbed her tears away with the back of her hands. Sniffing loudly and swallowing hard, she painted on a fake smile.

"I'm fine" she lied "they're just happy tears, really"

"Buffy" Dawn sighed sitting beside her "I'm your sister and I know you, you can't lie to me"

Buffy's face cracked, the smile disintegrated and tears poured forth once more.

"I'm sorry" she sobbed "I want to be happy for you and for myself but..."

"It's hard?" Dawn guessed and her sister nodded "Buffy, I understand" the younger girl assured her, rubbing a hand on her back to calm her crying "it's freaky for me too. I didn't ask for this to happen, and okay I know you never asked to be the Slayer either, but you were the Chosen One, this was your destiny and as much as I was jealous, and sometime wished I had your strengths..." there was a pause as Dawn frowned "now I have them, I don't want them anymore" tears formed in her eyes too and threatened to spill over onto her cheeks at any moments "I'm afraid of myself, Buffy, I'm so afraid"

"Oh Dawnie..." her older sister sighed, moving to hug her sister. The Summers sisters held each other, afraid and confused and not knowing what else to do except hold each other in comfort.

In the next room, there was an uncomfortable silence as both Angel and Spike waited for the girls to return, both worried about them so much.

"Think they're okay in there?" the vampire asked suddenly.

"I don't know..." Spike mumbled "hell of a shock for the pair of 'em"

"Think one of us should check on them?" the great souled one asked causing a sigh from Spike.

"I would but...God I can't bear to see either of them cry" he admitted.

"I know..." Angel nodded, "when it's someone you love, it...it just tears you apart" he remembered times when he was with Buffy, to see her cry, it was more painful than anything he'd ever endured as a man or a demon, with soul or without.

With that the room returned to silence, uncomfortable as ever, but maybe a little easier, with both men knowing the other was thinking the same thing.

"What does Spike think?" Dawn asked, as the girls parted from their hug, no tears left to cry "About you not being the Slayer anymore?"

"He says it doesn't change anything" Buffy had to smile as she thought of him "that he still loves me and I believe that. I still love him, I loved him when he was a vampire" she admitted "even if I did have trouble saying it, and I love him as a human..." she paused before putting it the best way she could think of "it's not about what we are, it's about who we are, I guess"

"Right" her sister nodded "I'm still Dawn and you're still Buffy, it's just..."

"No" Buffy realised for all her wisdom and strength she appeared to have, it wasn't all okay "but it isn't, because I'm not..." she said, her voice wavering again "I was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it became *who* I was as well as *what* I was, if I'm not the Slayer...what am I? I don't know how to be anything or anyone else" she realised almost in tears all over again.

"It's okay Buffy..." Dawn tried to comfort her. With a sudden thought she added "maybe we can fix it"

"How?" the ex-Slayer looked dubious.

"A spell or something" the brunette suggested "we could swap the power back to you"

Buffy seemed to consider the idea before sighing in defeat.

"But the prophecy..." she started.

"Shouldn't be a problem" said a voice form the door.

"Angel..." Buffy realised, it seemed the vamps decision from earlier had been changed and he had run the risk of being pained by the sight of the Summer sisters in distress - he had to know what was going on.

"You've beaten prophecies before Buffy" he told his ex-girlfriend as he came into the room "I've seen it. Prophecy said the Master would rise after the Harvest but you stopped it" he remembered "and then it said you'd die fighting him and...you did" he admitted, "but you're here now" Buffy's expression changed, a look of hope forming on her features, her head nodding in agreement at what Angel was telling her "what's to say this prophecy was true but there's more to it than that, like now the task is accomplished the magicks can be undone"

Dawn looked a little lost and both girls were overwhelmed by the idea, nevermind the vocabulary.

"What the stupid poofter means, luvs" said a shaky looking Spike who'd just appeared in the doorway "is that now the stuff has happened and served its purpose we can change it back, like you said, no trouble at all"

"I guess it's possible..." Buffy said slowly "but what was the big purpose of Dawn having the Slayer strength and everything, even for a little while?" she said, making a face again.

That made everyone think, but with her borrowed extra-smart Slayer brains, Dawn herself came up with the answer.

"There was no-one else to do it" she announced.

"Do what, pet?" Spike prompted, taking a seat beside her, scared he might fall down if he didn't sit.

"Slay" Dawn told him, simply, "Buffy was a total mess when you weren't here and with the real Slayer and her best fighter out of the picture..."

"...the Powers That Be had to make sure there was someone to fight the evil around here" Angel completed for her.

"Exactly" Dawn nodded with a satisfied grin that she'd figured out something useful for a change.

"Makes sense" Buffy agreed.

"So now I'm back" Spike started "and Buffy's back to her old self, more or less, should be a simple switch back" he shrugged "Sure the Wiccas, the demon girl and the Watcher, can knock up some hocus pocus that'll do the job. They mojo-ed me back from the grave as a bloody living breathe-er again, this should be childs play for them"

"We'll ask tomorrow" Buffy yawned, "Right now I think we need to rest" she said, gesturing to herself and Dawn, before looking pointedly at Spike, "and you should be in bed"

"Lead the way, baby, I won't argue" he smirked.

"Gross" Dawn pretended to vomit in true teenage fashion, causing both Buffy and Spike to shoot her a look.

Angel only smiled. He'd been such a fool. He'd always thought he knew what was best for Buffy Summers and he'd got it so wrong. A normal life - that's what he wished for her, a normal guy, a regular job, everything ordinary, but it was never going to happen, and she would never be happy if it did.

She was an extraordinary girl, and now an extraordinary woman, with an equally incredible man who had lived, died, unlived, died again and risen again -Spike was just as extraordinary as the woman he loved. Their life would never be normal, Angel knew that as he said goodbye and headed out into the rapidly increasing darkness of the night, but the one thing he did know was that they would be happy.

"You really want to find a spell, don't you luv" Spike asked the girl laying in his arms as his fingers played absently with her blonde locks. Buffy didn't answer.

"You like to slay" he continued in her silence, "you were born to do it...I can understand that"

"You can?" Buffy said suddenly bringing her head up from his chest to look him in the eye, "You don't think I'm selfish or crazy or anything?"

Spike smiled at the innocent little girl he saw before him. Sometimes it astounded him how one moment she was such a mature, strong woman, and the next, she was just a child who needed hugs and reassurance that everything would turn out okay.

"Buffy, luv" he sighed, turning on his side to face her "like I told you before, I love you, and there are no conditions on that. I loved you when I was a demon, a vampire, and I love you now as a human. I love you when you're the Slayer and when you're not and I will go on loving you for as long as I live and longer because I don't know how to do anything else" he finished with a smile and was not entirely pleasantly surprised to see tears on his love's face "Hey, you're not supposed to cry" he complained, wiping away the droplets with his fingers.

"That's probably the most beautiful speech anyone's ever said to me" Buffy said quietly, blinking hard to keep back more tears, true happy tears this time.

"I meant every word, luv" Spike assured her, his voice softer than ever before.

"I know" Buffy smiled "and that's what makes it so much more special"

the last few words were a whisper as the couple moved closer together. Their arms around each other and their lips locked tighter, they were lost for a while, just drowning in each other and the feelings they shared. But it was over all to fast as they both needed to breath and Spike began to choke again.

"Damn this pneumonia" he complained "Recovery's going well and all but, God I don't have the strength for what I really want to do right now"

Buffy tried hard not to laugh at his distress, but at least her giggles covered her slight disappointment.

"It's okay Spike" she assured him, snuggling into his arms as he became still and quiet again "we don't have to do that. We have all the time in the world, and just having you here, holding me, loving me, that's more than enough" she told him sincerely "...for now" she added quietly, but he heard anyway, as they drifted off to sleep, content just to be in each others arms..for now, anyway.

_ ****_

To Be Continued...


	20. Slayer Switching Spell

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A/N : Wow, has it really been two weeks since I last updated this? Oh well, new chapter here for you now, although I should warn you that there will only be one more chapter after this and then maybe an epilogue, but the end is near! Thanx to everyone who reviewed, it really does mean a lot. Hope you like this chapter and apologies in advance cos the end is kind of cliff-hanger-ish, but I'll try to get the end chapter and epilogue done and posted asap (as well as the last few chapters of The Guy Next Door for those who are reading that too)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 20 - Slayer Switching Spell

A Scooby meeting, not an irregular thing in Sunnydale, as a matter of fact, there had been a similar meeting just yesterday, but today's was different. The Slayer was present at the meeting, but that Slayer was no longer Buffy, it was Dawn, the purpose of this meeting being to find a way to change that fact and make things as they once were.

One man at the table was happy to be what he once was, a human instead of a demon, finally able to be with the woman he loved without supernatural complications. Spike had a lot to be thankful for, with the slight exception of the bloody frustrating human disease he had. Much sleep and hot chocolate had done wonders for him though, as well as the drugs Giles had managed to acquire...he really would have to ask old Ripper exactly where he'd got those from sometime...

"This could be very difficult Buffy" the Watcher told his almost-daughter, "We're dealing with very powerful forces"

"No more powerful than what the gang did to bring back Spike" she shrugged in response, "and I know that was dangerous but, you guys all know what you're doing and I trust you"

"It's nice to know you trust us Buffy" Willow smiled, "but Giles is right, this is a major deal, messing with the Slayer power and all"

"But it is possible?" Dawn piped up, "I mean, it might be dangerous but you can do it?"

"I-I'm n-not exactly sure" Tara stammered, wanting to help her friends as much as she could, but admittedly scared of the powers that would need to be invoked, "i-it would probably take a lot of research"

"Well we've had plenty of practice there" Xander commented, "We're full of research-y goodness here at Scooby central"

"So hows about we get on with it then, instead of sitting here poncing about?" Spike snapped, infuriated by too much talk and not enough action. It had taken all of his time and effort to convince Buffy he was able bodied enough to join the meeting instead of laying in bed like an invalid. It was his final point of argument that had finally made her cave.

'I spent enough time laying down when I was six feet under, at least let me move now that I can'. 

Now all he wanted to do was fix the problem his two favourite girls were having, so that life, the mortal life he had now been given, could move on for everyone.

The gang hit the books and after many hours and cups of coffee it was Anya who hit upon something useful.

"Aha!" she exclaimed, "I think I've got something" she told the group with a grin as she read from the book in her hands, "This is in Latin but I'm pretty sure it's what we need" she said excitedly "these ancient people found a way to give physical strength and power to the weaker people in their armies by kind of siphoning it off from the stronger warriors"

"Sounds like the kind of spell we're looking for" Buffy nodded, "is it complicated?"

Anya shook her head as she read more.

"I don't know...its a while since I did any kind of complex spell..."

"Wills, Tara, why don't you take a look?" the currently ex-Slayer suggested and the ex-demon was forced to hand over the book, which she did with a frown. She hated that she was the one that found the spell and yet the red-head and her girlfriend would get all the credit for the actual doing of the spell. Xander saw the look on her face and instantly knew what she was thinking.

"You did really well Ahn, finding the spell like that" he told her with a smile, "We'd probably never have found it without you" he knew it was a lie, as everyone else did too, but they let her think she'd done really well and she grinned in delight.

"Well, this looks do-able" Willow said slowly as Tara nodded in agreement, reading over her girls shoulder, "but Buffy it's also very dangerous...there's a chance that, if too much power shifts or the force moves the wrong way, well..." she didn't even want to say what the consequences could be.

"Come on Will, spit it out" the eldest Summers urged.

"They could die" Spike said simply, unemotionally, looking straight at the red-headed witch beside him, he knew by the very look on her face what it was she'd been unable to say.

"Yes" she replied in a hushed whisper, feeling physically sick at the very idea of losing either of her friends.

"Then we're not doing it" Buffy said sternly, "It's not worth it" with that she stood up from the dining room table and made to walk away before the tears that were rapidly forming in her eyes spilled over.

"No" Dawn protested with force as she too rose to her feet, "We are doing this" she said just as firmly as her sister had spoken, if not more so.

"Dawn" Buffy sighed turning back, aforementioned tears now running down her cheeks, "You could die, we both could, and all because I'm selfish and want my powers back. I won't do it"

"Well maybe you don't have a choice" Dawn yelled, shocking everyone who may have voiced an opinion into definite silence, "I don't want this power, it's not mine to have" she continued in a more even tone, "It's yours and you need it back. You are not selfish, if you were you wouldn't be saying no now, and maybe that means I'm selfish, I don't know, but life is all about risks Buffy and you have to be brave and take them sometimes...you taught me that"

The girls older sister did not reply, just stood there, completely still and silent, salty tracks down her face as these words hit her full force. Dawn was right, the little girl before her who wasn't so little anymore. Fourteen in looks and memories, barely a year old in actual terms, and yet she was so sensible and wise.

"You're right" Buffy forced out eventually, "If it weren't for risks...things would be so different...Spike wouldn't..." she got no further as she started to really cry. Too many emotions over the last few days, they all finally caught up with her and all that would come were tears.

Dawn moved toward her, grabbing her in a sisterly hug and it wasn't long before she was crying too. Ignoring his aching muscles and pounding head, Spike pulled himself from his seat to go and wrap an arm around each of his girls, and it was all the rest of the Scoobies could do not to cry as they bore witness to the three way hug of this strange little family.

"No matter what you do" Spike whispered to the Summers girls "you'll always be my girls and I'll always love you, whether you're humans, slayers, balls of energy or bloody crying messes like you are right now" he said, making both Buffy and Dawn giggle despite their tears, "I'll stand by you and I'll always love you, no matter what"

He knew it was the truth, that whatever happened he'd truly be in love with Buffy Summers forever and beyond, and that Dawn would always be the sister he never had, his precious Little Bit.

The two girls looked at each other, a look of understanding and agreement before turning to the rest of the gang, never leaving the safety of Spike's arms.

"We'll do it" they said together.

"I think we're almost ready" Willow announced as she and Tara re-counted the candles and checked the spell book.

In the centre of the Summers living room, all the furniture had been moved to the sides and a large circle of twelve candles had been set up, alternating red and black. A symbol was marked on the carpet in red and black sand which when looked at from a certain direction and in a certain way Xander realised looked kind of like a bunny with a party hat on. He dare not tell Anya of his thoughts and so instead whispered it to Dawn who would have laughed if she wasn't so tense with fear and anticipation.

"Where do we stand?" she asked the Wiccans as they stood just inside the circle opposite each other.

"You need t-to be here a-and here" Tara pointed to the spaces either side of herself and Willow. The four girls formed a square, Buffy facing Dawn, Willow facing Tara. The witches would act as the vessel by which the Slayer force would travel from Dawn to Buffy. With the four in position, they were ready to begin.

Willow took Tara's left hand flat between both her own as the blonde witch placed her right hand on top of the pile. The red-head nodded signalling that Giles should perform his part. He began to light the candles, one at a time, starting with the one directly behind Willow and moving anticlockwise around the circle.

Anya, Xander and Spike all watched from the side in anticipation as the concentration became evident in the two witches eyes. As the final candle was lit, Willow began to speak.

"Fortis. Enervis" she said loudly, looking first at Dawn on her left and then Buffy on her right, effectively naming them as the strong and the weak, and giving them their signal. Dawn placed her right hand on the bottom of Taras and Willows as Buffy placed her hand on the top. The pile of six hands began to glow almost immediately as Willow and Tara chanted in Latin.

The words were a jumble and meant less than nothing to the Slayer and her sister but there were others in the room who knew what was being said, Spike included. During his years as a vampire he had learnt many languages, but Latin had been something he'd been taught as a child, many years before his siring.

'Transfer the power, the weak shall be mighty, the mighty then less strong' he translated in his head as the witches spoke more loudly. The power could be tangibly felt in the air as the circle of candles seemed to become brighter, the voices of the Wiccans louder, the glow of the girls hands brighter.

'Transfer the power, strength to rise like fire' the chant continued as the yellow light around the four girls hands made them look as if the appendages were on fire. Spike physically flinched as he saw a look of what appeared to be pain pass over Dawn's face. He knew then it had begun. The power was leaking from her back into Buffy, and as it did, the glow seemed to shift, from the bottom of the pile of hands to the centre and upward to Buffy's hand on top. She too winced as the light of power travelled into her.

'Transfer the power, the weak shall be mighty, the mighty then less strong' Willow and Tara repeated, even louder than before as the lights, the candles, the entire room became brighter still, making it almost impossible for the rest of the Scoobies to see what was happening anymore.

'Transfer the power' Willow bellowed one final time, almost screaming at the strength the spell was taking from her, it was, after all, mostly her magicks that made the spell possible. 

Suddenly, there was an almighty flash of brightest green, causing Xander, Anya, Giles and Spike to turn their heads and shield their eyes. When they looked back the candles were extinguished, the sand had been blown almost completely away, and the four young women lay collapsed on the ground, fighting for breath.

__

To Be Continued...


	21. Forever

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A/N : Well, here we are, at the end of this fic. I'm glad to see some people are still reading right to the end and I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed any or all of the chapters - I really do appreciate all the kind comments. Here is the final chapter and the epilogue, and I hope you all approve of how it turns out. If you like it you could be very nice to me and leave a final review ;-) For those that are interested the final chapter and epilogue of The Guy Next Door should be up by the end of the week, for now here's the end of this story...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 21 - Forever

"Buffy!" Spike all but screamed, his illness all forgotten as he dived to the floor beside his love, the rest of the Scooby gang quickly following by example and tending to their friends.

"I'm okay" the blonde breathed, pulling herself up to a sitting position with the help of Spike who knelt beside her, "I'm okay" she repeated, almost trying to convince herself. She felt dizzy and disorientated by the whole ordeal.

"Dawn?" was her next word, "Dawn?!" she repeated reaching for the girl who was slowly sitting up with the assistance of Xander.

"I'm fine" the younger girl gasped, "I just...I...need air" she choked, fanning herself with her hand and gulping lungfuls of oxygen.

"Did it work?" were Willows first word as she and Tara pulled themselves from the floor too, Giles and Anya doing their best to support the Wiccas.

"Well, I feel...sort of...strange" Buffy admitted, getting to her feet with Spike always by her side, an arm around her.

"Me too" Dawn coughed, her breath finally coming back to her as Xander helped her up off the floor and over to a chair.

"Guess there's only one way to know for sure..." said Spike, "I would offer to test it myself but given my current status as a diseased being, maybe you could kick someone else's ass to prove your power, Slayer" he smiled, "any volunteers?" he asked, looking pointedly at Xander. The brunette looked a little offended but he knew it was just a joke on the bleach blonds part.

"Given the time of day" said Giles cleaning his glasses as he often did, "perhaps we might test your strength on the demon population"

The gang were a little surprised to see through the windows that the sun was going down and darkness was falling over Sunnydale at some considerable speed. Everyone was eager to hit the nearest graveyard and see if the spell had done it's job, but Buffy was adamant that Spike was not going out in the cold night 'in his condition'.

"I'm not pregnant, luv" he smiled, "just kind of wobbly is all"

"I don't care Spike" Buffy said sternly, "actually" she considered, "I do care and that's why you're not coming. Whether I'm the Slayer or not, I need you and preferably in a non-sick way as soon as possible"

"I know you care, baby" he said, hugging her, "and I love it that you do but..."

On the word 'but' Buffy pulled out of his arms and looked daggers at him.

"No buts Spike" she told him in the manner a mother would tell a child, "please, just stay here...for me"

Spike sighed in defeat.

"Y'know I'd do anything for you, pet"

"I know" she nodded before kissing him briefly, "and when you're feeling better I might do a few things for you too" she whispered in his ear, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she pulled away again.

"Now there's an incentive to rest up and feel better" Spike grinned, kissing her back before they were interrupted by the presence of the rest of the Scoobies in the room. They were all ready to leave, except for Xander, who for some bizarre reason that no-one could fathom had volunteered to stay behind with Spike in case the ex-vamp needed anything.

Spike got up from the couch shortly after Buffy, Dawn and the others had left for the cemetery.

"I guess I should get back to bed" he said more to himself than to Xander who was pushing the final piece of furniture back where it belonged after having cleared up the candles and lasts of the sand.

As the bleach blond reached the stairs he turned to the brunette.

"You don't have to stay here" he told him, "I'm a little old to be tucked in with a glass of milk and a bedtime story"

Xander smiled at the joke, but didn't reply as Spike headed up the stairs.

"Scary, wasn't it?" the bleach blond heard as he reached the top and turned back to see the young man he'd once referred to as the Whelp, standing at the foot of the stairs and staring up at him, "You were scared for them" he stated.

"Yeah" Spike admitted quietly, "What of it?"

"Nothing" Xander shrugged and shook his head, but Spike stared on waiting for a real answer, an explanation for why it mattered whether he was scared or not. "I never thought..." the young man on the bottom step began, not sure how to say what he meant, "You really do...you love them and...I don't know, I..."

"You didn't think I could?" Spike guessed the end of the sentence that his 'friend' was too...scared, perhaps, to actually say.

Xander looked at his feet, almost ashamed that he hadn't truly believed in the love this man had for the Summers women until now.

"I'll tell you something, Xander" the ex-vampire said suddenly, shocking the young man below into looking up suddenly, "I never knew I could love anyone the way I love Buffy, or the Bit for that matter" he admitted, "but I do, and I'll live for them, and support them, and continue to love them, until the day I die for them" he said sincerely, before adding "again" with a smile, causing a smile on Xander's face too.

"I believe you" the young carpenter told the man he could now call a friend, "but now I think you should get your germ-y self into bed cos whichever one of those Summers' sisters is the Slayer now, they are so gonna kick my ass if they find out I didn't make you rest"

"Personally I wouldn't mind seeing that" the bleach blond grinned as he headed for the bedroom, Xander barely heard him but he smiled as the words reached his ears. He was human and he loved Buffy, and Dawn, but Spike would always be Spike, bleached hair, snarky comments and all.

The dusted body count was an uneven seven as the Scoobies, minus two, headed back to the house on Revello Drive. Anya was pleased to be back at Xander's side and eager to get him home for unmentionable reasons. Giles offered to give them a ride as it was late and he really needed to get to his bed too, for different reasons of course.

Willow and Tara said goodnight and went to their room, leaving just Buffy and Dawn in the kitchen together.

"So, now we know" one girl nodded, "guess this is the way it's supposed to be"

"Guess so" the other agreed, "To be honest, I'm glad it worked out this way"

"You are?" her sister smiled, "Good, cos I am too"

The Summers girls embraced each other, both yawning as they did so and deciding it was time they were both in bed, since it was almost one in the morning, and a combination of the research, the spell and the slayage had really taken it out of them.

"Hi honey, I'm home" Buffy quipped as she entered her bedroom, smiling as she received no answer, Spike was completely asleep as she half expected he would be. Slipping out of her clothes, she climbed under the covers and snuggled up beside her man whom instinctively, even in sleep, wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Slayer?" he whispered, half asleep.

"Yes Spike, I am" she replied with a smile.

****

A/N2 : The epilogue is already up...


	22. Epilogue 5 Years Later

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Chapter 22/Epilogue - 5 Years Later

"Oh bloody hell!" Spike cursed, fumbling with the tie around his neck. His reflection, that he had just about got used to having back now, should have made his task easier but his nerves were making him shake just too much.

"Come here" the man behind him instructed, forcibly turning him around and tying the bow-tie for him with ease, "seems these things are always more complicated when you're the groom" he quipped.

"Yeah" Spike grinned with a memory in his mind, "Seem to remember you being a fumbling mess when you made Anya into Mrs Harris"

There was no time for Xander to respond as a tapping came on the door before Willow and Tara appeared, both decked out in flowing bridesmaids dresses.

"Well I'll say this for the Y chromosome" the red head giggled, "Looks good in a tux"

Tara nodded in agreement as Xander and Spike smiled.

"Don't look so bad yourself Red" the bleach blond realised, "You too Glinda"

Both girls blushed a little as Xander turned to Spike.

"You ready for this?" he asked and, taking a deep breath, the groom nodded.

Spike felt as if he floated from the room to the front of the hall where the wedding would take place. His best man, Xander, at his side, he waited for the girl of his dreams to come to him, down the aisle.

As the band began to play the music, Spike knew it was time and he tuned to see the girls enter the hall. First was Dawn, followed by Anya, Willow and Tara, all in matching dresses and all beautiful as ever as they glided toward the front of the hall. Behind them was Giles, smart as ever in his impeccable suit and on his arm was a vision in white, Spike's Slayer, his Buffy.

She smiled as she saw him, so much smarter than he usually looked, a lot different to the vampire he had ceased to be just a few years ago. It didn't matter to Buffy what he was wearing though, or _what_ he was, she loved the man for _who_ he was and she knew she always would.

Giles, her father in every way but biology, handed her over to the man she would soon be married to, a man who loved her with his whole heart, who had died for her and now who lived for her. 

The vows and rings were exchanged and Spike was only to pleased to oblige when told 'you may now kiss the bride'.

The reception followed, the happy couple leading the first dance, soon to be joined by many other happy couples, including all their friends. Xander and Anya, whose second anniversary was fast approaching, Willow and Tara who were planning a commitment ceremony in the not so distant future, Dawn and her boyfriend Zack, whom Spike had decided was 'a decent enough bloke for his Little Bit,' and Giles and his girlfriend Olivia, who had returned from England not so long ago after realising she couldn't be without the ex-Watcher.

Demons still darkened the Slayers door on many a night, the Hellmouth still existed and a hundred different evils because of it, but it didn't stop the Scoobies, new and old, from being happy, no-one more so than a certain ex-vampire and his Slayer.

"Did I tell you how gorgeous you look in that dress?" Spike smiled to his bride as he held her close and they swayed to the music, "and also how I can't wait to get you out of it"

Buffy giggled as she playfully swatted him in the chest.

"They'll be plenty of time for that later" she promised him, "but while we're on the subject of...that" she smiled, "how do you feel about expanding our little family?"

"Slow down, Slayer" Spike gasped, "We've only been married an hour"

"It's kind of a little late to back out of the fatherhood thing now" his bride replied shyly, looking down and then up into her new husbands eyes.

"You mean...?" he started, eyes wide as saucers.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded "there's a tiny guest at this wedding that no-one knew about, except me" she admitted, both her and Spike glancing down at her stomach and then back into each others eyes.

In one motion Spike's lips landed on Buffy's kissing her as thoroughly as ever, showing her just how much he loved her, today even more than before if it were possible.

"I love you Buffy" he whispered as they came up for air "always remember that"

"I will" the Slayer nodded "because I love you too William" she smiled "always"

~~THE END~~

** Disclaimer2 : One line stolen from episode Hell's Bells- this recognisable line belongs to the writers of the eppy!**


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